Eastwoods Finest Hour?

mike65

I've been a fan since I was "so high" and I've watched him as he's gone from tactiurn action star to director of thoughtdul dramas and even a romantic lead! I know that Eastwood won the Oscar for Unforgiven but there was a suspision that he got that for time served and daring to make an good anti-western in the 1990s, but the raves for Million Dollar Baby seem to be on a different level. The picture is piling up nominations already plus some wins and looks like a shoe-in for a stack of Oscar nominations.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/entertainment/cst-ftr-ebert10.html

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/maindetails

Sadly all too often ppl in film go on a bit too long, its hard to enthuse about the late work of legends like Howard Hawks, Billy Wilder, Hitch and many others but Eastwood only now (in his 70s) seems to be finding his true self as a film maker. There's hope for us all!

Mike.

mad m

As Jonathan Ross said tonight Clint Eastwood is Iconic

MisterAnarchy

Watched his new film tonight.
Well made it is but it is by no means a classic.
A very workmanlike film.
7/10 tops .

Miles

Agreed.



I still liked him best in Sergio Leone's trilogy.:)

Basq

MisterAnarchy wrote:

Watched his new film tonight.
Well made it is but it is by no means a classic.
A very workmanlike film.
7/10 tops .

Will be watching it tonight.

God bless Oscar-time!

Cactus Col

mike65 wrote:

Sadly all too often ppl in film go on a bit too long, its hard to enthuse about the late work of legends like Howard Hawks, Billy Wilder, Hitch and many others but Eastwood only now (in his 70s) seems to be finding his true self as a film maker. There's hope for us all!

I would have said that Eastwood has cycles. First he makes some good films (Misty) then some bad ones (the Clyde movies) then some more good ones (unforgiven) then some more bad ones (bloodwork) then good ones again (Mystic River), expect his movies to become worse in the next few years, and then another classic will rear it's head.

Basq

Watched 'Million Dollar Baby' last night and actually really enjoying it!

As probably one of the only people to find 'Mystic River' unoriginal and predictable, i wasn't sure about 'Million Dollar Baby'

Just realised the priest in the film is an Irish actor.. remember he played Frank the bus driver from 'Intermission' (who went onto carry out the bank job with Lehiff and John)

Anyways, the film was fairly depressing in my opinion.

Just thinking about how much energy and determination she had at the beginning of the film just to get Frankie as her trainer and learn as much as she can. And going through all that success with each subsequent win. And then watching her in that hospital bed as completely paralysed and helpless at the end forcing herself to bite her own tongue to try and end her life

I'd say the film will win big at The Oscars. I'd give it a 9/10.

PS - good to see Jay Baruchel acting again as Danger Barch (the handicapped boxer). Ain't seen him in anything since 'Undeclared'

mad m

Yup 9/10 also,you just know from start that it was going to be good especially when you hear Morgan freeman narrating it.Deep breath...

dudara

The film had a great and well-paced first half, but I was disappointed with the ending. It fell a little flat.

Not as great as I was hoping but still good in comparison to most things I've seen recently.

halenger

Good film. Saw it today. Had been a bit apprehensive - not being much into the whole boxing thing - but I like it quite a bit. Very emotive film...

Reef

Dunno how to hide the text so if you haven't seen it don't read what I have to say!

Excellent film. So sad, I hadn't expected it to be so went with some male friends. Felt like a right wuss coming out red eyed & red nosed. Hillary Swank was superb, aswell as 'the other two' -which is only to be expected. I just loved the whole film to be honest, I couldn't fault it. One of the best things about it was that it wasn't your typical 'happy ending'

Still thinking about it now it would make me a bit sad! :rolleyes: Powerful movie!

MariaRyan

I used to actually detest Mr. Eastwood and then I watched Bridges of Madison Co and thought it was absolutely brilliant. Story telling at it's best and it stands as the movie i have shed the most tears over. And this from someone i hated, he really changed my opinion around - the book is a must read!

M.D.Baby is also v good, 8/10 for me

TheDoc

I havnt seen his new flick but I think he is one f the greatest actors of all time and deserves more than one oscar, he has done some amazing films. The sergio leone trilogy, Josey Wales, Dirty Harry. The man has done so many great films. But I cannot remembr him winning oscars. though I'd love to know how people are nominated for their acting etc.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar has never won or been nominated for an oscar, but yet he hs been in some of the biggest money making films of all time, including one of the worlds biggest franchises Terminator. He may have said **** all in T1 but his facial expressions and his acting by movement could not have been done by anyone else.

People always say to me that clint and arnold are **** actors, but i object, cause there is no two men in cinema history that have such a dominating presence on camera.

mike65

MariaRyan wrote:

I used to actually detest Mr. Eastwood and then I watched Bridges of Madison Co and thought it was absolutely brilliant. Story telling at it's best and it stands as the movie i have shed the most tears over. And this from someone i hated, he really changed my opinion around - the book is a must read!

Interesting female view (dont like his "macho" stuff)! At the time everyone said Bridges was a dreadful cornball weepie novel that was turned into a good film cos Eastwood dropped all the gooey sentimental stuff.

Mike.

dudara

I used to watch Eastwood films all the time as a kid, with my father, and I absolutely love his western stuff. So as a girl, I like Clint's Macho stuff. I think The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is just class and for some reason I have a weird affection for "Two Mules for Sister Sara" and "Paint Your Wagon" (in which Clint sings).

Bridges of Madison County was a terrible soppy book, but the film turned out OK (if you like that kind of stuff). I like most of the work that the man has done lately, with the exception of Absolute Power (?). I'm just a little terrified right now that he hasn't a lot of time left.

A previous poster's point on Arnie and Clint's screen presence in spot on.

lamda

Personally I thought this film was tired and predicatable. Good performance from Swank, Freeman is just going through the motions though at this stage. It was just such an easy option to have him giving a voice over - instant gravitas.
But really did anyone notice that apart from the ending that the plot is almost exactly like the Karate Kid... and who was in one of the sequels? Ms. Hilary Swank!
4/10 just for Swank. *yawn*