'Gran Torino' is a wonderful ride

Fall arrived on Tuesday, but it sure seemed as if it blew in on Monday morning. The weather of the past few weeks has been wonderful. Let's hope we can enjoy some moderation -- get a real fall, since we didn't truly have a real summer.

The warm end to summer brought with it a rush of produce from local gardens. People that would give their kingdoms for garden tomatoes earlier this summer are now drowning in them.

Such is the way of things when something gets out of kilter, eventually things get back in balance, but it usually comes with a rush and when you are no longer prepared for it or, in some cases, even wanting it anymore.

The cool mornings and evenings aren't the only signs of a change of seasons. The fall sports seasons are well underway, with Friday night rituals being held in communities around the nation. Homecoming activities are underway as well, with scheduling forcing some schools to go earlier than intended.

Another sign of fall is the new television seasons that are beginning, as well as the fall movie season. Fall is when some of the "serious" movies come out and people begin talking about the Academy Awards.

I haven't seen many movies in the theater this summer, and have been catching up with some of last year's movies on DVD. I must have been among the last to see Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," but finally saw it a week ago.

I would highly recommend the movie to anyone. Eastwood continues to do an excellent job in front of the camera and behind it as well. He starred in the movie, directed and produced it as well. It marked the first time he had appeared on screen in four years.

Eastwood portrays Walt Kowalski, a Korean War veteran and retired auto worker. After the death of his wife, he appears to be angry with anyone and everyone in the world. The neighborhood where he and his wife raised their children has changed, with many Hmong immigrants now living as Kowalski's neighbors.

Thao, Walt's young neighbor, attempts to steal Kowalski's 1972 Gran Torino as part of a reluctant initiation into a gang. When the attempt fails, Thao and Walt begin an unlikely friendship.

The screenwriters did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of my parent's generation, and how they have adapted over the years to the changes they have seen in their communities, neighborhoods and society in general.

It seems as we get older, the less we like change. No one feels this as much as Eastwood's Walt Kowalski, who takes solace in the things he understands.

Kowalski takes Thao, who has no father, under his wing and teaches him about life, from appliance repair to how to be a man.

The scene where Thao and Walt go to the barbershop to learn how to interact with other men is simply priceless.

Slowly, the pair begin to understand each other and the openly bigoted Walt soon becomes the toast of his neighborhood. But a cousin of Thao continues to try to get him to join a gang, and it becomes evident that unless something is done, Thao is doomed to become a gang member.

I won't spoil the movie, just in case I wasn't the last person in America to see it, but suffice it to say that Walt is from the generation that will do what needs to be done to make things right.

Leave it to someone like Clint Eastwood to use a bigot to teach a lesson in tolerance.

The movie is worth watching, and I was rather shocked to learn that it had been snubbed by the Motion Picture Academy when it came to Oscar nominations.

With the high price of movies and many waiting for DVD rentals, it would seem that a very elite few are deciding what is worthy of awards.

Somehow, that just doesn't seem right.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.