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Guru of FIlm - by Rojo

Guru of FIlm

List Of Racial Slurs In Gran Torino (2008)

June 30th 2009 04:31

Walt Kowalski, (Clint Eastwood) an unabashed racist, begins a journey

Walt drives home one of his Hmong neighbors, Sue

to a slightly softer viewpoint through his encounters with his Hmong neighbors. However, this in no way stops him from using a wide variety of racial slurs throughout the movie, even from the grave. The huge number as well as the diversity in names, spurned me to document them. I've listed the collection of racial epitaphs, in order of appearance, used by Walt in Gran Torino (2008).

1. Swamp Rats
2. Zipperhead
3. chinks
4. Gooks
5. Gooks
6. Dago
7. Spooks
8. Fish Heads
9. Gooks
10. Gook
11. Egg Roll
12. Slopes
13. Swamp Rats
14. Dragon Lady
15. Zip
16. Gook
17. Zipperhead
18. Mick
19. Zips
20. Chink
21. Gook
22. Ginny
23. Swamp Rat
24. Gook
The final two are read from his will.
25. Beaner
26. Zipperhead

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Gran Torino (2008) - Clint Eastwood Steals the Show

June 22nd 2009 06:01

After watching this movie I was taken aback. It was a very good movie. It's not what I was expecting from Clint Eastwood but I can see why this received the reception it did. You can definitely tell this film has a director with a deft touch. It's definitely a true 'Auteur' film as you can feel Clint Eastwood's character.

Gran Torino (2008) Clint Eastwood Steal Car

Walt (Clint Eastwood) Confronts a gang member attempting to steal his car

This creates a bit of an issue as Clint Eastwood outshines all of his costars. Therein lies the only problem with the movie and that there's just something off about the other actors. Their lines seem slightly forced and lacking sincerity. It's unfortunate as this is a good movie but this holds it back from becoming a classic.

I love the racial dynamic; it's an important concern throughout the duration of the movie. It realistically reflects what's happening in many parts of America today. One thing that really impressed me was the variety of racial slurs in the movie. I heard slurs I didn't know existed. They are a constant throughout most of the movie; they even taking a prominent place in the final scene. In a couple of days I will have a complete list of all the racial epitaphs used by Walt, until then you're going to have to take my world for it.

One of the strongest suits of the movie is how complex and detailed each issue is. Like in real life each side has merits and the movie allows you to decide how to interpret his actions. This is important because it forces you to really think and analyze it. It keeps you on your toes.

Bottom Line: I strongly recommend this movie and hopefully we'll see more movies of this caliber from Clint Eastwood.

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Public Enermy (2009) - Theatrical Trailer

June 5th 2009 15:04

Plot Overview and Commentary, Trailer and Poster

Movie Poster

I saw this movie a long way off and realized something; I'm excited to see this movie. Rarely do I see trailers and get interested, I keep a more stony wait-and-see approach. This film struck me as a great casting of Johnny Depp as Joan Dillinger, a Robin Hood type bank robber. This should really fit his beautiful portrayal of odd characters. It's on this sort of premise that he has given some of his better performances; i.e. Pirates of the Caribbean, and Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

His arch nemesis is Melvin Purges (Cristian Bale), and is employed as a law man working for justice. This classic plot hopefully will be improved by an exploration in the folk hero status Dillinger was able to create, as well his relationship with his girlfriend. If his character fails to be fully developed I'm afraid this might turn out to be a highly polished but forgettable film.It comes out with a wide or saturation release on July 1st 2009, produced by Universal.

This briefly had me checking if this was a remake of 1931 The Public Enemy made by Warner Bros. in their gangster days but unfortunately it wasn't.

Short Bus Version: The cinematography should look good regardless and has a high chance of actually being good. Check out the trailer below.

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Casablanca (1942)-Analysis of Lighting pt. 2

June 1st 2009 16:00

This is a continuation from Part 1, please read it first if you haven't already.

The filmmakers employed some of the more fanciful lighting effects used in the movie in Rick’s café, in particular the setting up of lights at low angles. “Edeson lit his scenes upward from the floor or across from sidelights, casting shadows of people high on walls that would be physically impossible in real life” (Lebo 142).

Odd Background Lighting in Rick's Cafe

Long shadows appear high on the café’s wall in most scenes even though it would be awkward, if not impossible, to light a café that way in real life. This effect was created using cross backlights also known as ‘kickers’ (Alton 54). John Alton actually refers to it as ‘Criminal Lighting’ (Alton 54), as it is often used to light and demonize people, but this might be too strong of a characterization, as it also can be used to create an odd, or mysterious feel . The effect in Rick’s Café was that it helped create a feeling of distress that many patrons feel due to their desperation in their attempts to leave Casablanca. Rick transcends these issues and he himself is never lit in this manner. This kind of fanciful lighting creates a very interesting and sketchy atmosphere that allows Rick to operate freely. The café is also where we first develop an opinion of Rick’s character, which starts out slightly unsavory and who projects a cold persona

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Casablanca (1942)-Analysis of Lighting pt. 1

May 30th 2009 15:00

The Lights of Casablanca

-An indepth look into the lighting techniques employed and the context in which they were used, caught between film noir and the classic Hollywood style.

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Valkyrie (2008) - Nothing Ever Goes According to Plan.

May 27th 2009 14:00

The movie, while hyped, fell off the radar soon after its release; I blame the poor acting and weak plotline. Tom Cruise does a disappointing job considering everyone’s expectation of him; he just seems too much of a wimp to actually fight in a real war. Some of his co-stars steal the show at certain critical points further lessening his impact. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful with rich vibrant colors pervasive throughout the entire film. The colors scheme is an odd one with brown, greens and a subdued red. It works out beautifully with the colors contrasting without harming one another or the piece as a whole.

Valkyrie (2008) Movie Poster

Tom Cruise seems to get into the role as the movie goes on but I still feel he has too much Jerry Maguire to pull it off, too much swagger. As a kernel constantly in the presence of generals and even the furor himself, his self righteous whining bitching would hardly be tolerated. Beyond that however, I think there are some great performances particularly by Bill Nightly in the role of General Olbricht. You could see the worry and indecision on his face. He seems to be genuinely worried about the possible ramifications of their actions and the best course of action

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Up (2009) - Theatrical Trailer out

May 23rd 2009 01:46

Up (2009) is the newest film coming out of Pixar, (Disney owned). The animation studio is aiming for it's typical family audience and the hype has been positive so far. It seems like this movie showcases the knack Pixar has of tapping a wide audience with what appears to be a childrens' movie.

Up (2009) Movie Poster

They have done extraordinarily well with this in the past, my personal favorite was the Shrek series with all the double entendres and dark humor.
The plot of Up, an elderly man who sets out in a hot air balloon to achieve some of his life goals. He unwittingly has a stowaway, an eight-year old boy. This is setting the conflict and despair of life and has the potential to set up an interesting movie. I look forward to watching the release on Friday, May 29, 2009. Unfortunately, my technology savvy is lacking and I am unable to get the theatrical trailer to play. Regardless here's the link to the trailer.

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Introduce Myself

May 21st 2009 19:26

Hi, I'm Rojo and I just got promoted to this blog. I just wanted to introduce myself and give you a heads up on what's coming. I'm currently working on an analysis of Casablanca (1942). I'm hoping to have that posted by Monday, or at least the first part.
Also i was thinking about altering the theme a little bit maybe go for something that doesn't contrast as much. Any opinions?

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Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - Maybe it's Written.

May 19th 2009 03:23

Maybe it's written.
Throughout it's duration you know this movie is going places and really captures your imagination. Even more impressive is that it manages to create a good movie with a seemingly cliche ending. The good guy wins and the bad guys lose. The writing / relatively true story is what really brings the movie to life. It seems like everything probably happened to somebody, doubtly though all to the same person.

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Fast and Furious (2009)

May 15th 2009 15:02

I think that the acting of Vin Diesel is a pretty good metaphor for the movie as a whole. His emotional range is non-existent but seeing him in some of the action scenes is him at his best. The entire movie is built on a weak premise and some of the writing is bordering on

unwatchable. Don't get me wrong however, it is watchable but enjoyable? Not so much.

The only caveat is some of the stunts and action sequences, which are the only redeeming quality. When you go and see the Fast and the Furious, though you don't expect a deep storyline, you expect action. I'd say better than the other sequels not as good as the first one

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