Local Boy Clint Eastwood Scores Big at the Box Office with Gran Torino.

When you live in Carmel, you expect ex-Mayor and exemplary Carmelite Clint Eastwood to perpetually raise the bar with every new project. He, along with dazzling yet down-to-earth wife Dina. does it in our podunk paradise of a community with his generous financial and emotional support for worthy causes. He does it creatively in a myriad of intriguing ways, from his business acumen to jazz musicianship. And now, this weekend’s boffo box office set a new personal best at the North American box office on Sunday as ” Gran Torino “ raced to No. 1.

Hint: Oscar nomination ballots are due shortly.

The quirky drama, in which the 78-year-old actor/director plays a grumpy old man who takes on some neighborhood thugs Dirty Harry-style, earned $29 million during the three days beginning Friday, Warner Bros . Pictures said, beating out the Kate Hudson/Anne Hathaway bridezilla chick-flick Bride Wars.

WALL-E Packs A Real Wallop for Grown-Ups.

Like a gazillion other Americans trying to beat the heat this weekend (and in our case, the smoke from the Big Sur wildfires), I had to go see the latest Pixar mechanical-marvel, WALL-E. The critically praised film is now a box office wonder as well, with domestic grosses of $103,876,000 a mere 8 days after release.

I knew I would fall madly in love with the 2008 version of E.T. and R2D2, all digi-designed into one heart-rending creature who babbled adorably electronic coos, blips and bleeps. I also knew I would love the sweetly weird love story between the cutely-clunky WALL-E and ever-so-estro-oval EVE.

But what I didn’t expect was the absolute wallop of its powerful environmental message, delivered by a chilling look at what passes for humankind 800 years in the future. Not only did I want to sprint out of the theater and head for the closest treadmill but I also wanted to crush any cup in the vicinity.

And then there were my feet. I wanted to rush out and buy new shoes, simply to reassure myself that I still wear them.

I am fantasizing a dream triple bill at my local theater:

WALL-E
An Inconvenient Truth

Oops! WOM Beats The Pundits Again. Sex and The City Glams Its Way To A $55 Million Opening.

Hollywood pundits underestimated the massive femme power of the SATC franchise, with many predicting opening box office in the typical chick-flick realm of $20-30 million. Some wisely hedged it on higher, but always with the disclaimer that their usual methodologies were not jibing with word-of-mouth.

Therein lies the issue with traditional research tools — Word of Mouth, particularly in the realm of female fashionistas and passionistas, wields power like nothing else.

In Santa Monica, the SATC showings at Mann’s theater were sold-out from 6 until midnight Friday night.  Thanks to a savvy friend, we were lucky enough to sneak in at six, beating the line of giggling girlfriends — some in their Carrie-best — that snaked around the block.

Inside, it was a blend of focus group, pep rally and the annual Nordstrom spring sale. The target-specific satisfaction was palpable.

Reviews. Schmooz. It’s all about the shoes.