is a film produced by Clint Eastwood that doesn’t seem to have garnered the attention I think it deserved.

It really is a gem of a little movie!

I love that it takes its time to storytell, for us to get to know the characters.

Clint is fabulous as this racist old curmudgeon.

In fact I really learned something about male bonding from it.

There’s a fantastic little scene with Clint and this old Italian barber and the young Hmung boy that Clint has taken under his wing, and it reminded me of an online interaction I had with an old curmudgeon.

Never knew his real name, but he often called me ‘towelhead’ or ‘raghead’, and yet it’s weird to say that when he did that it didn’t actually feel racist.

Quite the opposite.

I’m afraid I was the one who broke off the interaction. He was a seasoned author, I could tell by the way he wrote, and I must say I learned a lot from him, but somehow I convinced myself that it was demeaning to be treated that way.

Now, after seeing that scene in Gran Torino, I realized on the contrary, it was a form of respect on his part. Weird.

I just recommend you see it!

Analyse it even!

It’s quite deep!

In about an hour I’m on the way to the airport only this time it’s for pleasure, and only partly business. (Business in that I’ll be researching and stuff–always researching!)

Off to Turkey!

A ten day tour.

I might be able to blog while I’m there. It should be fascinating.

Found out that the ancient city of Troy was in Turkey! Hope the tour includes that on its itinerary!

But if not I’ll be at least seeing Istanbul, Ephesus (where some of the best Roman ruins are) and Ankara!

Over and out!