Monday, March 15, 2010

One Film and One Actor

I know I'm behind the times here, but I just got done watching the film Gran Tarino, starring Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski, a retired autoworker who recently lost his wife, and sees the neighborhood he has lived in for so long dramatically change in racial demographics. The film was phenomenal, concluding with a rather heartbreaking finale that was accompanied by an equally poignant score. Have any of you seen it? If you have you'll be happy to acknowledge that the Catholic priest in the film was portrayed positively and, I believe, as a benevolent presence in the life of Walt Kowalski. It's worth the CD purchase, but not, I repeat, NOT suitable for younger audiences.




Did you know about the Murray's?

Actor Bill Murray has a sister who is a Dominican nun and stars in her own one-woman play about St. Catherine of Siena. I didn't know! (To quote Terry).

From Sister Nancy Murray's website:

Nancy Murray, OP, is making her mark on audiences across the country and throughout the world, bringing to life the Dominican saint Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church. With simple props and a fertile imagination, Sister Nancy portrays Catherine as the colorful, strong, passionate and enthusiastic personality that she was. Thanks to Sister Nancy's gift of transforming herself into this 14th century saint and patroness of the Dominican Order, numerous churches, schools and organizations have become acquainted with Catherine's fierce devotion to and love for God.

The ironic thing about this discovery is that Sister Murray is part of the Adrian Dominican Sisters based in Michigan who founded a Catholic hospital here in my neck of the woods, which also happens to be the Catholic Hospital I volunteer at every week. Maybe I should start asking the nurses if they know the Murray's.

5 comments:

Shirley said...

Gran Torino is Clint Eastwood's best film.
Is "your" Catholic hospital going to stay open if Obamacare passes into law?

Tom in Vegas said...

I certainly hope so. But with this wacko anything can happen. They just don't understand that most people don't want it.

Katie Alender said...

We had that movie on TiVo forever, so we watched it last night. It was very funny (except when it wasn't, obviously) and very good. It took me a few minutes to get used to Clint's rumbling voice!

Tom in Vegas said...

Katie-

My co-workers recommended this film to me back in 2008 when it first premiered, and I neglected to go watch it. I bought the DVD this past weekend because I was looking for a good flick to watch on my days off.

Yes, the film was very good, but SO depressing at the end. The theme song plays after Walt is cut down which made his passing all the more excruciating.

Tracy said...

It is one of the finest films I have seen!!