No decade has such striking similarities to today as the 1970s and early 80s. The first decade of the new century in the United States has been forever scarred with the War on Terror, but it has also seen times of relative economic prosperity which has given way to severe depression and rising unemployment numbers. The 1970s saw both the peak of intensity of the Vietnam War as well as its end in 1975. Furthermore, the 1970s economy in the United States was extremely successful until 1979 and the first few years of the 1980s, when the United States found unemployment numbers reaching higher than anytime since the Great Depression. It is during times like these, that the American public looks for a “common man” to idolize. Thirty years ago, this man was John Belushi, today, it is Seth Rogen.
Born in Chicago in 1949, John Belushi led a life of relative insignificance, and commonality until his first big break in 1971 when he joined The Second City comedy troupe. Soon after landing this job, Belushi was cast in “National Lampoon’s Lemmings” and from there became a host on “The National Lampoon Radio Hour.” Belushi’s biggest role during his tragically abbreviated career was his regular appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” during which time he played upwards of 40 different characters, including impersonations of Franklin Roosevelt, John Lennon, Roy Orbison, Captain James T. Kirk, Yasser Arafat, and The Incredible Hulk. In movies, Belushi was known for his volatile, obnoxious, sloppy, yet hilarious characters.
Seth Rogen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and decided to embrace his comedic skill at a young age. Rogen never graduated from high school but dropped out when he was 16, after placing second in the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest, he headed south to continue a career in stand-up comedy and acting. His first role in a movie came in 2001 when he scored the role of Ricky Danforth in “Donnie Darko” and also had roles in TV shows like “Freaks and Geeks,” “Undeclared,” and he even was a guest in an episode of “Dawson’s Creek.” Much of the success that Rogen is experiencing now has come as a result of his role in “Freaks and Geeks,” of which Judd Apatow was a co-producer. Rogen and Apatow have since become friends and Apatow has been involved in every movie that Rogen has starred in since then. His recent exploits have met with great success in the United States and have included films such as “Superbad,” “Knocked Up,” “Pineapple Express,” and “Zack and Miri Make a Porno.” In these movies, Rogen has become known for his portrayal of slightly overweight, pot-smoking, obnoxious losers that are nonetheless loved by almost everyone who sees his movies.
Rogen and Belushi are very similar in both their style of comedy and acting, as well as their physical appearance. Neither of the actors possesses the traits that Hollywood has traditionally embraced as keys to acceptance in the society. Both Rogen and Belushi are men of a larger stature than most stars on the red carpet, yet neither one of them seems to (or seemed to) care. It is this carefree attitude that allowed Belushi and is allowing Rogen to acquire a loyal following among United States citizens.
As Belushi steadily climbed the ladder to popularity in the 70s, he also found himself in the public spotlight much more than he was comfortable with. This newfound fame resulted in Belushi turning to drugs, specifically cocaine and heroin, which eventually was the cause of his death in 1982. Belushi was not quiet about his drug use, and is actually seen shooting up in a couple of his movies. While Rogen has so far managed to stay away from hard drugs in the public eye, he can be seen smoking marijuana in five of his last six movies, and he has become a strong advocate for the legalization of the drug. This blatant drug use has been the main argument of critics who disapprove of Seth Rogen’s popularity among the youth in the United States.
The emergence of Seth Rogen as a popular figure and movie star marks the first time since Belushi’s death that a comedian or actor who openly uses drugs has been in the spotlight. Actor/comedians such as Adam Sandler, Steve Carrel, and Steve Martin have all gained and lost popularity during the decades between Belushi’s death and Rogen’s rise to the throne, but none have quite lived up to Belushi’s legacy. This is not to say that comedians who have found popularity in the twenty years between 1982 and 2002 were any less worthy of the title of a modern day Belushi, but the society during those years failed to accept them on quite such a large scale. It is a combination of trying economic times as well as the fear of war that let Belushi become a comedic icon and is now increasing Rogen’s popularity exponentially.
The culture in a society that is experiencing dramatic increases in unemployment numbers and in which young men are dying for the country will always be similar. The people are hungry for a figure with which they can identify and that will help them feel comfortable with themselves. Rogen gives people hope; he is an overweight pothead, yet he has found incredible success in a society and economy that has made success hard to come by. More important to his popularity than the hope of success that he instills in people, is the air of informality and familiarity that people have with him. While the vast majority of Seth Rogen fans have never actually met or conversed with the man, just about everyone feels that they would enjoy his company. He is not up on a pedestal like most Hollywood stars, he represents one of us in the Hollywood elitist society.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Process Writing...
Process Writing
When going about writing a review for this class, I generally started with viewing, listening, or attending the movie, concert, or event that I intended to write about. This seemed to work well for me and I think it would be hard to go about it any other way because it would be difficult to write about something you haven’t experienced. After I made it through this first step in my writing process, I generally waited a couple of days to actually sit down and write anything, during these days I would tell myself that I’d think about what I wanted to write, but this rarely happened.
On Monday mornings I would generally wake up and realize that I had a review due at 4:00 pm and go through a bit of a panic. After calming myself down, showering, and usually eating, I would sit down and write my review. In general, this process served me well, however, it was much more stressful than it probably should have been and the stress caused by the deadlines of this class will likely result in my death a couple of years sooner than if I hadn’t taken the class.
In writing my final project, I originally wanted to write about music and how each generation has a defining musical movement. This would have been a very interesting topic but I could probably write about 10000 words about it. After meeting with you, Marin, I decided on a celebrity profile of Seth Rogen, overweight pothead of the 21st century. For this paper I began by watching four of his movies again, which actually was probably more of a distraction than a help in writing the paper, but nonetheless, very enjoyable. I didn’t really write a draft other than what the class critiqued and I was really unhappy with what I had written. The class critique really helped me a lot in figuring out what I wanted to focus on because my first draft was all over the place and lacked any real argument at all.
Upon your suggestion, I finally decided on doing a comparison piece between John Belushi and Seth Rogen, and discussing why they found/are finding the popularity in their respective societies. I actually completely re-wrote the piece and while I used many ideas that I first introduced in my first draft, pretty much everything is new.
When going about writing a review for this class, I generally started with viewing, listening, or attending the movie, concert, or event that I intended to write about. This seemed to work well for me and I think it would be hard to go about it any other way because it would be difficult to write about something you haven’t experienced. After I made it through this first step in my writing process, I generally waited a couple of days to actually sit down and write anything, during these days I would tell myself that I’d think about what I wanted to write, but this rarely happened.
On Monday mornings I would generally wake up and realize that I had a review due at 4:00 pm and go through a bit of a panic. After calming myself down, showering, and usually eating, I would sit down and write my review. In general, this process served me well, however, it was much more stressful than it probably should have been and the stress caused by the deadlines of this class will likely result in my death a couple of years sooner than if I hadn’t taken the class.
In writing my final project, I originally wanted to write about music and how each generation has a defining musical movement. This would have been a very interesting topic but I could probably write about 10000 words about it. After meeting with you, Marin, I decided on a celebrity profile of Seth Rogen, overweight pothead of the 21st century. For this paper I began by watching four of his movies again, which actually was probably more of a distraction than a help in writing the paper, but nonetheless, very enjoyable. I didn’t really write a draft other than what the class critiqued and I was really unhappy with what I had written. The class critique really helped me a lot in figuring out what I wanted to focus on because my first draft was all over the place and lacked any real argument at all.
Upon your suggestion, I finally decided on doing a comparison piece between John Belushi and Seth Rogen, and discussing why they found/are finding the popularity in their respective societies. I actually completely re-wrote the piece and while I used many ideas that I first introduced in my first draft, pretty much everything is new.
Overheating Car Causes Stampede???
Okay, I just found this hilarious. After watching security camera footage of this very same "stampede" of America's Next Top Model participants online a couple of days ago, I couldn't resist seeing what the NY Times had to say. I've posted both a link to the video and the article below.
Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/arts/television/18arts-AFTERSTAMPED_BRF.html?ref=television
Video: http://www.break.com/index/americas-top-model-audition-stampede.html
Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/arts/television/18arts-AFTERSTAMPED_BRF.html?ref=television
Video: http://www.break.com/index/americas-top-model-audition-stampede.html
Death
I found this article extremely informative about the Hackney brothers and their trio called Death in the 70s. It was interesting to read about how their careers have progressed and also interesting because their 1974 demo tape was just released recently.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html?ref=music
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/arts/music/15rubi.html?ref=music
Coraline Review
I thought this review was really well written and it took a unique look at the movie Coraline. It also served to make me really want to see the movie, which I did, and I probably never would have if I hadn't read this review.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/movies/01clar.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=Coraline&st=cse
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/movies/01clar.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=Coraline&st=cse
Monday, March 9, 2009
Seth Rogen - Celebrity Profile/Critique
He’s undeniably popular as successful, but why? Seth Rogen has taken the comedy movie scene by storm in recent years and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Seth Rogen’s miraculous success in Hollywood since his debut as Ricky Danforth in Donnie Darko is puzzling… in what society can an overweight, self-proclaimed pothead become one of the most popular men of this day and age.
Rogen has starred in several popular movies in recent years including Superbad, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, and Zach and Miri Make a Porno. The roles he has in these movies are repetitive overall but he somehow manages to make each one new and interesting. In Superbad, Rogen has a more minor role of a police trainee, 3 months into training. When he and his partner pick up McLovin’ the 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii and offer to give him a ride to the party he’s buying alcohol for, the trio embarks on a zany journey involving beer, drunk driving, and countless bad decisions. In Knocked Up, Rogen has the good fortune of playing a broke, pot-smoking loser who is working on creating a Mr.Skin-like website with his roommates and ends up getting a girl he meets at a club pregnant. After learning of his folly, Ben (Rogen’s character) decides that he will be there for Allison (the pregnant girl).
In trying economic times such as these, people need a common man that they can relate to. Seth Rogen has become that man. He doesn’t have the physique of a male model or the romantic and seductive accent of the sexiest man alive, but he’s funny, and he’s not afraid of what people will think about him. It is this carefree attitude that has allowed Rogen to clench a loyal following among young adults as well as many fans in older generations.
In the not-so-recent past, it would have been nearly impossible for a man with the looks of Seth Rogen to score a leading role in a popular Hollywood movie. Those spots were reserved for charming and attractive men like Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., or Hugh Jackman. However, in these times, the public welcomes someone who isn’t perfect. Knowing and recognizing these imperfections in famous people like Seth Rogen, gives the public hope. His popularity shows society that anyone can be successful.
Rogen’s popularity is undeniable, but he has not found this stature without enduring criticism, most of which is well founded. The movies in which Rogen has lead parts often depict the use of marijuana, and these movies are aimed at an audience of young adults. Many parents and responsible adults are seeing movies like Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, and getting furious with not only Seth Rogen, but director Judd Apatow, as well as the rest of Rogen’s “posse,” consisting of Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, and Martin Starr. These critics are afraid of the repercussions that Rogen’s popularity will have on the youth in society.
When Rogen is seen saving his bong instead of his pregnant girlfriend in Knocked Up during an earthquake, the audience reaction is to laugh, rather than be completely unamused and disgusted. When Rogen and his dealer go to a school and sell weed to elementary students to make money for bus tickets in Pineapple Express, it seems unimportant and not a big deal. No wonder parents and other adults are worried for their kids and hate Seth Rogen, no one wants their kids to grow up with a role model like that.
Rogen got his start as a stand-up comic at age 13 and scored his first role in a tv show, Freaks and Geeks, when he was 16. His improvisation has been cited as his biggest asset by director Judd Apatow, and many of his improvisations are actually used in his movies. Apatow purposely doesn’t cut after shooting a scene to allow the actors to improvise and hopefully make the movie funnier, this style of directing is perfect for Rogen and if the two had not paired up, it is unlikely that Rogen would be as popular as he is today.
Similarities can be seen between Seth Rogen and actor/comedian John Belushi. Belushi, much like Rogen, was not a terribly attractive man by anyone’s standards, but he was hilarious. He frequented comedy clubs and was a guest on Saturday Night Live numerous times. As he rose into stardom however, Belushi found it hard to deal with the pressure and spotlight that came along with his newfound fame. He saw a psychologist for a year and eventually turned to drugs. John Belushi died of an overdose after injecting a speedball, a combination of cocaine and heroine in 1982. Could this be the future of Seth Rogen?
Rogen has starred in several popular movies in recent years including Superbad, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, and Zach and Miri Make a Porno. The roles he has in these movies are repetitive overall but he somehow manages to make each one new and interesting. In Superbad, Rogen has a more minor role of a police trainee, 3 months into training. When he and his partner pick up McLovin’ the 25-year-old organ donor from Hawaii and offer to give him a ride to the party he’s buying alcohol for, the trio embarks on a zany journey involving beer, drunk driving, and countless bad decisions. In Knocked Up, Rogen has the good fortune of playing a broke, pot-smoking loser who is working on creating a Mr.Skin-like website with his roommates and ends up getting a girl he meets at a club pregnant. After learning of his folly, Ben (Rogen’s character) decides that he will be there for Allison (the pregnant girl).
In trying economic times such as these, people need a common man that they can relate to. Seth Rogen has become that man. He doesn’t have the physique of a male model or the romantic and seductive accent of the sexiest man alive, but he’s funny, and he’s not afraid of what people will think about him. It is this carefree attitude that has allowed Rogen to clench a loyal following among young adults as well as many fans in older generations.
In the not-so-recent past, it would have been nearly impossible for a man with the looks of Seth Rogen to score a leading role in a popular Hollywood movie. Those spots were reserved for charming and attractive men like Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr., or Hugh Jackman. However, in these times, the public welcomes someone who isn’t perfect. Knowing and recognizing these imperfections in famous people like Seth Rogen, gives the public hope. His popularity shows society that anyone can be successful.
Rogen’s popularity is undeniable, but he has not found this stature without enduring criticism, most of which is well founded. The movies in which Rogen has lead parts often depict the use of marijuana, and these movies are aimed at an audience of young adults. Many parents and responsible adults are seeing movies like Knocked Up and Pineapple Express, and getting furious with not only Seth Rogen, but director Judd Apatow, as well as the rest of Rogen’s “posse,” consisting of Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Jay Baruchel, and Martin Starr. These critics are afraid of the repercussions that Rogen’s popularity will have on the youth in society.
When Rogen is seen saving his bong instead of his pregnant girlfriend in Knocked Up during an earthquake, the audience reaction is to laugh, rather than be completely unamused and disgusted. When Rogen and his dealer go to a school and sell weed to elementary students to make money for bus tickets in Pineapple Express, it seems unimportant and not a big deal. No wonder parents and other adults are worried for their kids and hate Seth Rogen, no one wants their kids to grow up with a role model like that.
Rogen got his start as a stand-up comic at age 13 and scored his first role in a tv show, Freaks and Geeks, when he was 16. His improvisation has been cited as his biggest asset by director Judd Apatow, and many of his improvisations are actually used in his movies. Apatow purposely doesn’t cut after shooting a scene to allow the actors to improvise and hopefully make the movie funnier, this style of directing is perfect for Rogen and if the two had not paired up, it is unlikely that Rogen would be as popular as he is today.
Similarities can be seen between Seth Rogen and actor/comedian John Belushi. Belushi, much like Rogen, was not a terribly attractive man by anyone’s standards, but he was hilarious. He frequented comedy clubs and was a guest on Saturday Night Live numerous times. As he rose into stardom however, Belushi found it hard to deal with the pressure and spotlight that came along with his newfound fame. He saw a psychologist for a year and eventually turned to drugs. John Belushi died of an overdose after injecting a speedball, a combination of cocaine and heroine in 1982. Could this be the future of Seth Rogen?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
NY Times Defense
For my NY Times Defense I chose to critique “A Rock Group With a Frontman Who Takes Up a Lot of Room,” by Jon Caramanica. From what I gathered, Caramanica has been writing for the NY Times since 2005 strictly as a music critic. He has written reviews on very well known artists including Weezer, Regina Spektor, and Mark Ronson. Caramanica has also been writing for the LA Times and has published 79 articles with them since 2003.
The review in Tuesday’s NY Times is on a live performance of a group called Los Campesinos! Caramanica is obviously a fan of the group’s music but the tone of the review gives the impression that he was disappointed with their live performance. Although the review is short, Caramanica manages to include a lot of information about the band and also succeeds in putting the live performance in a context by comparing it to their recordings.
Caramanica gets some humorous anecdotes in his review and really tears down lead singer Gareth Campesinos! He shows his familiarity with the group by referencing numerous songs and talking about various members of the band. While there isn’t really a “but” in the review, Caramanica successfully gets his point across that the band’s live performance was a disappointment overall even though they did have their moments.
The review in Tuesday’s NY Times is on a live performance of a group called Los Campesinos! Caramanica is obviously a fan of the group’s music but the tone of the review gives the impression that he was disappointed with their live performance. Although the review is short, Caramanica manages to include a lot of information about the band and also succeeds in putting the live performance in a context by comparing it to their recordings.
Caramanica gets some humorous anecdotes in his review and really tears down lead singer Gareth Campesinos! He shows his familiarity with the group by referencing numerous songs and talking about various members of the band. While there isn’t really a “but” in the review, Caramanica successfully gets his point across that the band’s live performance was a disappointment overall even though they did have their moments.
Slumdog Steals the Spotlight
Beginning with Hugh Jackman, who was the host for the night, singing a comical opening number, the stage was set for a successful 81st annual Academy Awards. While many movies, directors, actors, and producers were honored with nominations, Slumdog Millionaire stole the spotlight by winning eight Oscars, including Best Picture. Despite this award being the last to be announced, the Slumdog cast and crew seemed to be the focus of the entire night.
Shot in Mumbai, India, Slumdog Millionaire used children who have lived in the slums their whole lives as the stars of the movie and they were all in attendance at the Kodak Theatre for the Oscars. Probably the first time these kids have ever left Mumbai and the first time many of them have ever been on an airplane, they were well received by Hollywood society. The awe in these children’s faces seemed to be inspiring to everyone watching and gave a remarkable sense of innocence to the show. Slumdog’s run began with the third award of the night, which was Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted from Q & A by Vikas Swarup), and continued right on through the end of the night when they upstaged the host (and sexiest man alive) by rushing the stage after winning Best Picture.
Along with Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was also a big winner on the night with three Oscars. While this would normally be a huge honor, Button enthusiasts were inevitably disappointed since the movie was nominated for 13. Other movies to win included Dark Knight, Milk, and The Duchess. None of these movies however, could compete with Slumdog Millionaire and its winning of a third of all the awards given and winning eight of the nine awards possible.
Because of the film’s origins, in the slums of Mumbai, it was hard not to feel excited for the cast and crew of the movie. The final award of Best Picture seemed very fitting as a cap on the night and it was great that the kids from Mumbai got to be in the spotlight for all to see. As the camera kept cutting to Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and their huge grins, everyone watching could feel their excitement and it became contagious. The excitement of the young children reached more than just the Kodak Theatre, for when it was announced, several viewers squealed and clapped their hands in the Hicks Center and Kalamazoo College and this was likely the response of millions of viewers worldwide.
The 81st annual Academy Awards were a huge success and it would be a shame if the viewership did not reach at least its 2007 levels of 40 million people. While they were extremely well choreographed, reasonably well written, and immaculately designed, the awards owe most of their success to the success of Slumdog Millionaire and the vast support that the movie has found in America.
Shot in Mumbai, India, Slumdog Millionaire used children who have lived in the slums their whole lives as the stars of the movie and they were all in attendance at the Kodak Theatre for the Oscars. Probably the first time these kids have ever left Mumbai and the first time many of them have ever been on an airplane, they were well received by Hollywood society. The awe in these children’s faces seemed to be inspiring to everyone watching and gave a remarkable sense of innocence to the show. Slumdog’s run began with the third award of the night, which was Best Adapted Screenplay (adapted from Q & A by Vikas Swarup), and continued right on through the end of the night when they upstaged the host (and sexiest man alive) by rushing the stage after winning Best Picture.
Along with Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was also a big winner on the night with three Oscars. While this would normally be a huge honor, Button enthusiasts were inevitably disappointed since the movie was nominated for 13. Other movies to win included Dark Knight, Milk, and The Duchess. None of these movies however, could compete with Slumdog Millionaire and its winning of a third of all the awards given and winning eight of the nine awards possible.
Because of the film’s origins, in the slums of Mumbai, it was hard not to feel excited for the cast and crew of the movie. The final award of Best Picture seemed very fitting as a cap on the night and it was great that the kids from Mumbai got to be in the spotlight for all to see. As the camera kept cutting to Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Ayush Mahesh Khedekar and their huge grins, everyone watching could feel their excitement and it became contagious. The excitement of the young children reached more than just the Kodak Theatre, for when it was announced, several viewers squealed and clapped their hands in the Hicks Center and Kalamazoo College and this was likely the response of millions of viewers worldwide.
The 81st annual Academy Awards were a huge success and it would be a shame if the viewership did not reach at least its 2007 levels of 40 million people. While they were extremely well choreographed, reasonably well written, and immaculately designed, the awards owe most of their success to the success of Slumdog Millionaire and the vast support that the movie has found in America.
Monday, February 9, 2009
LAST COMIC STANDING LIVE TOUR LIGHTS UP MILLER WITH LAUGHS
Last Comic Standing’s goal of finding the funniest comic on the planet seems to be complete. With no plans for a 7th season of the show, the live tour that performed at Western Michigan University’s Miller Auditorium on Saturday will likely be the very last live show ever. Featuring the top five finishers of Season 6, the Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great way to spend a Saturday evening.
Since the first season, Last Comic Standing has put countless comedians on the fast track to fame with their country-wide search for the funniest comedian on the planet. Comedians from more than 20 different countries have tried out for the show, legitimizing the “on the planet” part of their mission statement. LCS has been the springboard for many popular comedians since their first season in 2003, examples include Dat Phan and Ralphie May (season 1), Alonzo Bodden (season 3), Josh Blue and Gabriel Iglesias (season 4), John Reep, Lavell Crawford and Amy Schumer (season 5), and this season’s winner, the only female to win the title of Last Comic Standing, Iliza Shlesinger.
The best act of the night seemed to be the third-place finisher, Jeff Dye. The young heart-throb from Hollywood, CA warmed the crowd with a hilarious mix of gym humor and some bits about his mother. Dye’s most popular joke of the evening began with a brief story about his mother and her cats. Much like many parents, his mom suffers from the empty-nest syndrome since Jeff and his siblings all went off to “bigger and better things.” As a way of coping, his mom holds conversations with the cats and acts as though her cats are her children, even pretending that they have voices. Jeff then goes on to describe how, during his last visit home, his mom kept telling him what the cats were thinking, things like, “Who is this stranger? We haven’t seen this guy in forever!” Simply to spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff adopts his mother’s “cat voice” and tells her that the cats are saying, “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” It is at this point that his mother informs him he’s crazy and that cats can’t talk. It was these easy-to-relate-to jokes that made Jeff Dye the crowd favorite at Miller.
Along with Dye, Iliza Shlesinger, Louis Ramey, and Marcus all put on hilarious performances and succeeded in their goal of making the audience laugh. The only disappointment of the night came in the tall, bald form of Englishman Jim Tavare. Tavare had his moments during his 20-minute performance, commenting on how big everything is in America compared to England, “cars, meals, houses, this American violin,” (he was holding a bass). These comedic pearls proved few and far between during the time Tavare had the stage and his dry humor and monotonous delivery left the crowd unsatisfied.
The final Last Comic Standing Live Tour was definitely well worth the $30.00 students had to pay for the tickets. The auditorium was packed and everyone in attendance seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the company of four great comedians.
Since the first season, Last Comic Standing has put countless comedians on the fast track to fame with their country-wide search for the funniest comedian on the planet. Comedians from more than 20 different countries have tried out for the show, legitimizing the “on the planet” part of their mission statement. LCS has been the springboard for many popular comedians since their first season in 2003, examples include Dat Phan and Ralphie May (season 1), Alonzo Bodden (season 3), Josh Blue and Gabriel Iglesias (season 4), John Reep, Lavell Crawford and Amy Schumer (season 5), and this season’s winner, the only female to win the title of Last Comic Standing, Iliza Shlesinger.
The best act of the night seemed to be the third-place finisher, Jeff Dye. The young heart-throb from Hollywood, CA warmed the crowd with a hilarious mix of gym humor and some bits about his mother. Dye’s most popular joke of the evening began with a brief story about his mother and her cats. Much like many parents, his mom suffers from the empty-nest syndrome since Jeff and his siblings all went off to “bigger and better things.” As a way of coping, his mom holds conversations with the cats and acts as though her cats are her children, even pretending that they have voices. Jeff then goes on to describe how, during his last visit home, his mom kept telling him what the cats were thinking, things like, “Who is this stranger? We haven’t seen this guy in forever!” Simply to spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff adopts his mother’s “cat voice” and tells her that the cats are saying, “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” It is at this point that his mother informs him he’s crazy and that cats can’t talk. It was these easy-to-relate-to jokes that made Jeff Dye the crowd favorite at Miller.
Along with Dye, Iliza Shlesinger, Louis Ramey, and Marcus all put on hilarious performances and succeeded in their goal of making the audience laugh. The only disappointment of the night came in the tall, bald form of Englishman Jim Tavare. Tavare had his moments during his 20-minute performance, commenting on how big everything is in America compared to England, “cars, meals, houses, this American violin,” (he was holding a bass). These comedic pearls proved few and far between during the time Tavare had the stage and his dry humor and monotonous delivery left the crowd unsatisfied.
The final Last Comic Standing Live Tour was definitely well worth the $30.00 students had to pay for the tickets. The auditorium was packed and everyone in attendance seemed to have had a great time and enjoyed the company of four great comedians.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Last Comic Standing Ends with Success
In this day and age, one might think that a black guy talking about tazering a beautiful young woman and throwing her in the back of his rental car would be cause for a quick three-digit dial on your cell phone; Louis Ramey proved that it is actually a very funny joke. Who knew?! From the moment Louis stepped onto the Miller Auditorium stage at Western Michigan University on Saturday night, the crowd knew they were in for a laugh-filled evening.
The show began with fifth-place finisher Louis Ramey, of Atlanta, Georgia, who served as the MC for the night. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, it seemed as though Ramey might have been the season winner, if only Kalamazoo were voting. Between his jokes about giant boobs and wanting women “in the worst way… standing up in a hammock,” Ramey managed to carry the show and segue hilariously between the other four comedians.
Englishman Jim Tavare was second to take the stage at Miller, and his dry humor definitely dried out the crowd. Compared to the laughs induced by the other comedians, Tavare’s performance raised questions as to whether or not he deserved his fourth-place title. This is not to say that he didn’t have his moments. Lugging his 7-foot-tall bass onto stage, he cleverly quipped that this wasn’t actually a bass but an American violin, since everything is so much bigger here than in England. Tavare certainly has a unique style and unquestionably is a funny guy, but he was not a crowd favorite in Kalamazoo.
Next up, following a flattering introduction from Ramey, was the Last Comic Standing heartthrob, Jeff Dye. Dye quickly became a huge success on the show, combining his good looks with his self-awareness of being a skinny guy to give a pleasing mixture of gym humor and some hilarious bits about his mother. Perhaps the most memorable of these jokes was when he began telling the audience about how, now that all the kids are gone, his mother holds conversations with the cats, and actually pretends that the cats have voices and talk back. When Jeff goes home to visit, his mom always tells him what the cats are apparently wanting to say to him, things like “Who is this guy? We haven’t seen this stranger in ages!” To spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff simply adopts the same squeaky cat voice and tells his mother that the cats are saying “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” at which point his mother informs him that he’s crazy and cats can’t talk.
The final performance of the night was the winner of Last Comic Standing Season 6, Iliza Shlesinger –the only female comic to ever win on the show. Her routine was a hit with the crowd and eliminated any reservations one might have had about her first-place finish. Her unharnessed enthusiasm and obvious sexual appeal make it impossible not to like her and, while she does have a few sexual jokes under her belt, she does not rely on the misfortunes of men for her act. Possibly the most popular joke of the night actually made fun of women and how only a couple inches can mean the difference between a sexy model with beautiful flowing locks and a long-haired religious nut.
The show at Miller was undoubtedly a huge success among the sold-out Kalamazoo crowd as people were still laughing while walking out to cars in the freezing cold. This tour was most likely the very last live tour ever for Last Comic Standing because, as of right now, there is no plan for a seventh season. While this is certainly a disappointment, the show has catapulted many great standup comics to more fame and riches than they could have ever have hoped to know just playing bars and local clubs in their home cities. The Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great show and made for a hilarious and fun-filled evening for all who braved the elements, including the unfortunate man who decided it was a good idea to wear a squirrel hat to a comedy show and quickly became the target of numerous jokes.
The show began with fifth-place finisher Louis Ramey, of Atlanta, Georgia, who served as the MC for the night. Judging from the crowd’s reaction, it seemed as though Ramey might have been the season winner, if only Kalamazoo were voting. Between his jokes about giant boobs and wanting women “in the worst way… standing up in a hammock,” Ramey managed to carry the show and segue hilariously between the other four comedians.
Englishman Jim Tavare was second to take the stage at Miller, and his dry humor definitely dried out the crowd. Compared to the laughs induced by the other comedians, Tavare’s performance raised questions as to whether or not he deserved his fourth-place title. This is not to say that he didn’t have his moments. Lugging his 7-foot-tall bass onto stage, he cleverly quipped that this wasn’t actually a bass but an American violin, since everything is so much bigger here than in England. Tavare certainly has a unique style and unquestionably is a funny guy, but he was not a crowd favorite in Kalamazoo.
Next up, following a flattering introduction from Ramey, was the Last Comic Standing heartthrob, Jeff Dye. Dye quickly became a huge success on the show, combining his good looks with his self-awareness of being a skinny guy to give a pleasing mixture of gym humor and some hilarious bits about his mother. Perhaps the most memorable of these jokes was when he began telling the audience about how, now that all the kids are gone, his mother holds conversations with the cats, and actually pretends that the cats have voices and talk back. When Jeff goes home to visit, his mom always tells him what the cats are apparently wanting to say to him, things like “Who is this guy? We haven’t seen this stranger in ages!” To spite his mother, a hardcore democrat, Jeff simply adopts the same squeaky cat voice and tells his mother that the cats are saying “VOTE MCCAIN! VOTE MCCAIN!” at which point his mother informs him that he’s crazy and cats can’t talk.
The final performance of the night was the winner of Last Comic Standing Season 6, Iliza Shlesinger –the only female comic to ever win on the show. Her routine was a hit with the crowd and eliminated any reservations one might have had about her first-place finish. Her unharnessed enthusiasm and obvious sexual appeal make it impossible not to like her and, while she does have a few sexual jokes under her belt, she does not rely on the misfortunes of men for her act. Possibly the most popular joke of the night actually made fun of women and how only a couple inches can mean the difference between a sexy model with beautiful flowing locks and a long-haired religious nut.
The show at Miller was undoubtedly a huge success among the sold-out Kalamazoo crowd as people were still laughing while walking out to cars in the freezing cold. This tour was most likely the very last live tour ever for Last Comic Standing because, as of right now, there is no plan for a seventh season. While this is certainly a disappointment, the show has catapulted many great standup comics to more fame and riches than they could have ever have hoped to know just playing bars and local clubs in their home cities. The Last Comic Standing Live Tour was a great show and made for a hilarious and fun-filled evening for all who braved the elements, including the unfortunate man who decided it was a good idea to wear a squirrel hat to a comedy show and quickly became the target of numerous jokes.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Critic as Artist - Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde uses his essay The Critic as Artist to discuss his view that a critique is the highest form of art. The form that he uses to put these ideas forth is a discussion between two men, Ernest and Gilbert. This style of writing works well for the essay because it allows Wilde (through Gilbert) to express his ideas and also address questions and problems that one might have with what he posits. I cannot say that I fully agreed with Gilbert's argument when I first began reading the essay, but as I moved through it Gilbert was very persuasive and I now agree that the critic is indeed an artist.
The sentence that really convinced me comes on page 904 and it comes right after Ernest asks, "But is Criticism really a creative art?" Gilbert responds, "Why should it not be? it works with materials, and puts them into a form that is at once new and delightful. What more can one say of poetry?"
Wilde's point that "Anybody can write a three-volumed novel. It merely requires a complete ignorance of both life and literature," can be held true of any art form. Anyone can paint a mural, draw a portrait, write a poem, or write a piece of music. This said, it takes a true genius to do any of these things well and the same goes for writing critiques. Because a critique is indeed an art form, it is true that anybody can write one, but a good critic will take it upon oneself to become familiar with the art they are critiquing and only then can their piece be considered a masterpiece.
The sentence that really convinced me comes on page 904 and it comes right after Ernest asks, "But is Criticism really a creative art?" Gilbert responds, "Why should it not be? it works with materials, and puts them into a form that is at once new and delightful. What more can one say of poetry?"
Wilde's point that "Anybody can write a three-volumed novel. It merely requires a complete ignorance of both life and literature," can be held true of any art form. Anyone can paint a mural, draw a portrait, write a poem, or write a piece of music. This said, it takes a true genius to do any of these things well and the same goes for writing critiques. Because a critique is indeed an art form, it is true that anybody can write one, but a good critic will take it upon oneself to become familiar with the art they are critiquing and only then can their piece be considered a masterpiece.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Elements of Style
The part of Elements of Style that I found most helpful and that I would like to try to incorporate more in my writing is section 17 in Principles of Composition. It is entitled "Omit Needless Words" and I think that this is something I really need to work on. It gives several examples and ways of getting around unnecessary words. I often try to put in extra words because I think it makes my writing sound more educated or more poignant, but this is not the case, as it says in this section, "vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences..."
Hopefully now that I am conscious of this element I will be able to greatly improve my writing by cutting down on needless words and sentences and making my writing more concise.
Hopefully now that I am conscious of this element I will be able to greatly improve my writing by cutting down on needless words and sentences and making my writing more concise.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
WHILE TORTUROUS, “TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE” CONTAINS VALUABLE INFORMATION
Alex Gibney’s documentary, “Taxi to the Dark Side,” offers a depressing and one-sided look at the alleged torture practices of the United States in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Guantanamo Bay. The documents exposed and the interviews with soldiers in this film are very informative and interesting, but Gibney took it too far.
The documentary attempts to center around the story of Dilawar, a young Afghanistan taxi driver who was picked up and taken to Bagram Air Base, where he was found dead in his cell five days after his arrival. This heartbreaking story is unfortunately lost in the mass of horrifying pictures and video clips that Gibney puts into his movie. After beginning with a brief interview of Dilawar’s family, the film quickly moves on to the shocking torture techniques used at Bagram and then Abu Ghraib and eventually Guantanamo Bay.
The research that went into producing this movie had to have been a massive undertaking and, in that respect, “Taxi to the Dark Side” is well deserving of its many awards. The Oscar for Best Documentary, however, illustrates just how liberal the Hollywood society really is. “Taxi to the Dark Side” makes no attempt at defending any of the actions of soldiers or policy-makers in the post 9/11 world.
While “Taxi to the Dark Side” provides important information in a very convincing manner, these accusations should not be accepted or believed without any doubt or reservations. Gibney looks at only one side of these issues and, while no torture should ever be allowed by US policy-makers, certain techniques used and discussed in the movie are not typically considered to be torture and are lumped in with things like waterboarding and sexual assault.
The use of female interrogators, for instance, is not torture; it is simply using these detainees’ culture for our own benefit. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with allowing dogs to bark and growl at prisoners as long as no physical harm is done. The way that Gibney lumps things like these in with physical beating, sleep deprivation, and other terrifying torture tactics is uncalled for and poorly thought out on his part because it detracts from the horrors that are happening.
A disappointing part of this documentary is the ominous soundtrack that creeps into your senses throughout the movie and the use of lighting on the soldiers in their interviews. Despite the fact that these soldiers are undoubtedly being interviewed in what could be a well-lit room, they use only a single light and their faces seem to fade into the black background in what can only be read as an attempt to make them seem evil. Another trick that is utilized in the film is a negative filter on documents, making them mostly black and having white or gray type. All of these things combine to create an evil and menacing air throughout the film. If this is what Gibney set out to do, he did a extraordinary job.
“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a worthwhile documentary and Alex Gibney certainly deserves some of the awards he received for the film. It cannot be stressed enough though that this is one of those things where one should think back to their childhood and remember what was inevitably advised by a wise elder, “don’t believe everything you hear.”
The documentary attempts to center around the story of Dilawar, a young Afghanistan taxi driver who was picked up and taken to Bagram Air Base, where he was found dead in his cell five days after his arrival. This heartbreaking story is unfortunately lost in the mass of horrifying pictures and video clips that Gibney puts into his movie. After beginning with a brief interview of Dilawar’s family, the film quickly moves on to the shocking torture techniques used at Bagram and then Abu Ghraib and eventually Guantanamo Bay.
The research that went into producing this movie had to have been a massive undertaking and, in that respect, “Taxi to the Dark Side” is well deserving of its many awards. The Oscar for Best Documentary, however, illustrates just how liberal the Hollywood society really is. “Taxi to the Dark Side” makes no attempt at defending any of the actions of soldiers or policy-makers in the post 9/11 world.
While “Taxi to the Dark Side” provides important information in a very convincing manner, these accusations should not be accepted or believed without any doubt or reservations. Gibney looks at only one side of these issues and, while no torture should ever be allowed by US policy-makers, certain techniques used and discussed in the movie are not typically considered to be torture and are lumped in with things like waterboarding and sexual assault.
The use of female interrogators, for instance, is not torture; it is simply using these detainees’ culture for our own benefit. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with allowing dogs to bark and growl at prisoners as long as no physical harm is done. The way that Gibney lumps things like these in with physical beating, sleep deprivation, and other terrifying torture tactics is uncalled for and poorly thought out on his part because it detracts from the horrors that are happening.
A disappointing part of this documentary is the ominous soundtrack that creeps into your senses throughout the movie and the use of lighting on the soldiers in their interviews. Despite the fact that these soldiers are undoubtedly being interviewed in what could be a well-lit room, they use only a single light and their faces seem to fade into the black background in what can only be read as an attempt to make them seem evil. Another trick that is utilized in the film is a negative filter on documents, making them mostly black and having white or gray type. All of these things combine to create an evil and menacing air throughout the film. If this is what Gibney set out to do, he did a extraordinary job.
“Taxi to the Dark Side” is a worthwhile documentary and Alex Gibney certainly deserves some of the awards he received for the film. It cannot be stressed enough though that this is one of those things where one should think back to their childhood and remember what was inevitably advised by a wise elder, “don’t believe everything you hear.”
Monday, January 19, 2009
Spot-on Casting and Direction Make "Live From Baghdad" a Must See
The HBO film “Live From Baghdad” chronicles one of the most important moments of modern times, the advent of 24-hour news television. The story that started it all was the US attack on Baghdad in 1991 and the beginning of the Gulf War. The made-for-TV movie is well deserving of the three Golden Globe nominations it received as well as the seven other various awards it snagged, including three Emmys and a Director’s Guild of America award.
Right from the start, “Live From Baghdad” demands your undivided attention. The movie follows Robert Weiner, played by Michael Keaton, and his news team to Baghdad and Kuwait and through their many struggles to get interviews, powerful footage, and moving news stories. All of these trials and tribulations eventually culminate in “the journalistic equivalent to walking on the moon” – live coverage of the US airstrike on Baghdad.
Michael Keaton’s work as Robert Weiner is flawless, and he could not have asked for a better supporting cast consisting of Helena Bonham Carter, Joshua Leonard, Lili Taylor, David Suchet, and many more. John Papsidera won an Emmy for his casting and it is well deserved – the cast works well together and between the comedic jabs they toss around and the questionably romantic nature of the relationship between Robert Wiener and co-producer Ingrid Formanek they are a very convincing news crew. Another notable element of this movie is the score, which works immaculately with each and every scene.
Director Mick Jackson and writer Robert Wiener both deserve much credit for their impeccable use of real news footage from the time leading up to the Gulf War as part of their movie. For instance, when the crew manages to secure an interview with Saddam Hussein in the movie, rather than find an actor to play the part, they cut back and forth from Bernard Shaw, played by Robert Wisdom, and the actual news footage of the Saddam interview. Along with this interview there are many clips of President Bush’s speeches and even some real footage of Baghdad that are expertly intertwined into the movie plot.
What is most striking about “Live From Baghdad” is the relevance that it still holds today with the War on Terror. It gives an inside look at what reporters endure to deliver the news every day and also illustrates what a vital role the media has in political and diplomatic relations. Keaton repeats this phrase to David Suchet, playing Naji Al-Hadithi, many times throughout the movie, “People are going to die when the talking stops.” This phrase could not ring truer than in current times.
This movie is very well made and the cast is talented. Because of the subject matter, it is definitely worth seeing in the context of today’s political climate. Michael Keaton gives a memorable performance in “Live From Baghdad” and it is a movie that should not be missed.
Right from the start, “Live From Baghdad” demands your undivided attention. The movie follows Robert Weiner, played by Michael Keaton, and his news team to Baghdad and Kuwait and through their many struggles to get interviews, powerful footage, and moving news stories. All of these trials and tribulations eventually culminate in “the journalistic equivalent to walking on the moon” – live coverage of the US airstrike on Baghdad.
Michael Keaton’s work as Robert Weiner is flawless, and he could not have asked for a better supporting cast consisting of Helena Bonham Carter, Joshua Leonard, Lili Taylor, David Suchet, and many more. John Papsidera won an Emmy for his casting and it is well deserved – the cast works well together and between the comedic jabs they toss around and the questionably romantic nature of the relationship between Robert Wiener and co-producer Ingrid Formanek they are a very convincing news crew. Another notable element of this movie is the score, which works immaculately with each and every scene.
Director Mick Jackson and writer Robert Wiener both deserve much credit for their impeccable use of real news footage from the time leading up to the Gulf War as part of their movie. For instance, when the crew manages to secure an interview with Saddam Hussein in the movie, rather than find an actor to play the part, they cut back and forth from Bernard Shaw, played by Robert Wisdom, and the actual news footage of the Saddam interview. Along with this interview there are many clips of President Bush’s speeches and even some real footage of Baghdad that are expertly intertwined into the movie plot.
What is most striking about “Live From Baghdad” is the relevance that it still holds today with the War on Terror. It gives an inside look at what reporters endure to deliver the news every day and also illustrates what a vital role the media has in political and diplomatic relations. Keaton repeats this phrase to David Suchet, playing Naji Al-Hadithi, many times throughout the movie, “People are going to die when the talking stops.” This phrase could not ring truer than in current times.
This movie is very well made and the cast is talented. Because of the subject matter, it is definitely worth seeing in the context of today’s political climate. Michael Keaton gives a memorable performance in “Live From Baghdad” and it is a movie that should not be missed.
The "but" in my Gran Torino review shows up much later than it should. It is the first sentence in the 4th paragraph: "Clint Eastwood's supposed 'final performance as an actor' did not quite reach the incredibly high standards that have been set for Eastwood with his legendary performances as Dirty Harry." I think that it comes this late because the structure of my review was off a little bit, I spent too much time summarizing the plot and I should have had my but before such a long summary.
I think I would give myself a B- or so for this review. Given the chance to rewrite it I would definitely not summarize so much and would try to do a little more research so that I could write a more informed review. Also I would not use "I" and "you."
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1205489/
This link helped me a lot with writing my review. Besides allowing me to check names of various actors and actresses, there were a variety of links from this site to other reviews. Reading some of these reviews before writing mine gave me an idea of what kind of things to include as well as the accepted format for certain aspects of the review. I think that IMDB will be a very valuable tool for most of my movie reviews because it has so much information, you can virtually find anything you want to know about any actor or movie on the site.
Monday, January 12, 2009
"Gran Torino" Review
Despite Masterful Direction, Eastwood
Fails to Impress with “Gran Torino.”
“Gran Torino” is the relatively predictable and somewhat obvious story of Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) becoming a reluctant hero to his neighborhood, which has been invaded (as Walt might say) by “gooks,” and “chinks.”
Walt, a brash and outspoken Korean War veteran is mourning the loss of his wife when we first meet him. Walt mourns like you would expect any war-hardened veteran to, by drinking in excess and spouting off so many upsetting things that just about everyone leaves his house disgusted. Walt’s neighborhood has become a Hmong community over several years and Walt is the only white person still living in the neighborhood. Walt’s neighbors, a Hmong family, consists of an adolescent boy named Thao (Bee Vang), his older sister Sue (Ahney Her), their mother, and ill-tempered grandmother who spits and grunts almost as much as Walt. Along with the mass of Hmong families coming to the neighborhood, Hmong gangs begin to become prevalent in Walt’s neighborhood. Thao’s older cousin is the leader of a gang and pesters Thao until he gives in to an initiation task, which is to steal Walt’s car.
After being caught attempting to steal Walt’s prized 1972 Gran Torino fast back from his garage as part of a gang initiation, Thao becomes an unexpected force of change for Walt. In an effort to repay Walt for saving Thao from his cousin’s gang, Thao’s mother forces him to work for Walt for a week. It is at this point that we begin to see that there is a lovable and nice side to Walt. Rather than make Thao do work in his own house, Walt has Thao fix up the house across the street because “I’m tired of looking at this shithole all the time.” As Walt and Thao continue working with each other they build a relationship and Walt becomes a mentor for Thao. Thao’s older sister Sue, a sassy and confident young lady becomes a friend of Walt and the Hmong neighbors all begin to open up and accept Walt into their lives just as Walt allows them into his.
Clint Eastwood’s supposed “final performance as an actor” did not quite reach the incredibly high standards that have been set for Eastwood with his legendary performance as Dirty Harry. While his technical direction proves once again that he is indeed a master of the trade, using simple shots to capture subtleties like only a true movie maverick could, the story is lacking. I found myself predicting every “twist” and “turn” of the plot and the story seemed to be in dire need of more subtleties and provoking dialogue rather than the grunts and racial slurs that became comedic by the end of the movie. Her’s poor performance as Sue had me wondering if I was watching a low-budget student movie or an actual big screen movie. Her history lessons and unconvincing emotion took away from the stellar performance of Bee Vang and also stole attention away from the lead, Clint Eastwood. Rather than focus on the story and plot I caught myself intent on Her’s misgivings as an actor and wondering when the next history lesson would come. Between the predictable plot and deficient supporting actors, Gran Torino was a poor way for a legend to go out.
Fails to Impress with “Gran Torino.”
“Gran Torino” is the relatively predictable and somewhat obvious story of Walt Kowalski (Eastwood) becoming a reluctant hero to his neighborhood, which has been invaded (as Walt might say) by “gooks,” and “chinks.”
Walt, a brash and outspoken Korean War veteran is mourning the loss of his wife when we first meet him. Walt mourns like you would expect any war-hardened veteran to, by drinking in excess and spouting off so many upsetting things that just about everyone leaves his house disgusted. Walt’s neighborhood has become a Hmong community over several years and Walt is the only white person still living in the neighborhood. Walt’s neighbors, a Hmong family, consists of an adolescent boy named Thao (Bee Vang), his older sister Sue (Ahney Her), their mother, and ill-tempered grandmother who spits and grunts almost as much as Walt. Along with the mass of Hmong families coming to the neighborhood, Hmong gangs begin to become prevalent in Walt’s neighborhood. Thao’s older cousin is the leader of a gang and pesters Thao until he gives in to an initiation task, which is to steal Walt’s car.
After being caught attempting to steal Walt’s prized 1972 Gran Torino fast back from his garage as part of a gang initiation, Thao becomes an unexpected force of change for Walt. In an effort to repay Walt for saving Thao from his cousin’s gang, Thao’s mother forces him to work for Walt for a week. It is at this point that we begin to see that there is a lovable and nice side to Walt. Rather than make Thao do work in his own house, Walt has Thao fix up the house across the street because “I’m tired of looking at this shithole all the time.” As Walt and Thao continue working with each other they build a relationship and Walt becomes a mentor for Thao. Thao’s older sister Sue, a sassy and confident young lady becomes a friend of Walt and the Hmong neighbors all begin to open up and accept Walt into their lives just as Walt allows them into his.
Clint Eastwood’s supposed “final performance as an actor” did not quite reach the incredibly high standards that have been set for Eastwood with his legendary performance as Dirty Harry. While his technical direction proves once again that he is indeed a master of the trade, using simple shots to capture subtleties like only a true movie maverick could, the story is lacking. I found myself predicting every “twist” and “turn” of the plot and the story seemed to be in dire need of more subtleties and provoking dialogue rather than the grunts and racial slurs that became comedic by the end of the movie. Her’s poor performance as Sue had me wondering if I was watching a low-budget student movie or an actual big screen movie. Her history lessons and unconvincing emotion took away from the stellar performance of Bee Vang and also stole attention away from the lead, Clint Eastwood. Rather than focus on the story and plot I caught myself intent on Her’s misgivings as an actor and wondering when the next history lesson would come. Between the predictable plot and deficient supporting actors, Gran Torino was a poor way for a legend to go out.
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