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San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
As Clint Eastwood turns 95, is the America that made him slipping away?
America has changed a lot since 1930, but Clint Eastwood hasn't. Or so it would seem. The cinema legend, who turns 95 on Saturday, May 31, was born in San Francisco, raised in the East Bay and spent most of his life as a resident of Monterey County. He was always an outsider in Hollywood — he had to go to Europe to find his breakthrough as a film star — and cultivated an aura of rugged individualism as an action antihero, including his iconic roles as the Man With No Name in Sergio Leone's ' Spaghetti Westerns ' in the 1960s and San Francisco cop 'Dirty Harry' Callahan in five movies. He's the kind of man who built America, one school of thought goes; the kind of guy you could count on to fight valiantly in the Civil War, or tame the western frontier, like he did in his movies. He doesn't have time for your bull—, and when he stares at you with that Clint Squint, he's daring you to 'make my day.' He's a man of law and order, upholding American values. 'Dirty Harry' (1971), produced by Eastwood and directed by Don Siegel, was the conservative antidote to the hippie, free love ideals of 'Easy Rider' (1969) as Hollywood was remaking itself during a remarkable decade of cinematic change. But what if we're looking at Eastwood the wrong way? What if, in his own way, Eastwood has been questioning America all along? We all know Eastwood is conservative, aligning with the party that claims to be defenders of traditional American values. Although he has said he's a registered Libertarian, he has supported mostly Republican politicians, including most presidential candidates (remember his anti-Obama talking-to-the-empty-chair moment at the 2012 Republican National Convention?), and ran as a Republican in becoming mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in the 1980s. Yet he is liberal on most social issues, including abortion, same-sex marriage and, surprisingly, gun control — ironic for a guy whose most famous character openly bragged about his .44 Magnum, 'the most powerful hand gun on Earth, which can you blow your head clean off.' He has supported Democratic politicians in the past, including late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former California governor Gray Davis, and broke from President Donald Trump during his first term. But while he might have liked Feinstein off-screen, he hated most of the San Francisco mayors he dealt with as Dirty Harry. The Civil War-set 'The Outlaw Josey Wales' (1976), which Eastwood starred in and directed, can be read as a diatribe against the military industrial complex, a theme echoed in his espionage thriller 'Firefox' (1982). Government corruption and incompetence are at the heart of 'In the Line of Fire' (1993), directed by Wolfgang Petersen, and 'Absolute Power' (1997), directed by Eastwood. Indeed, many of Eastwood's movies, both as star and director, have questioned the system itself. Like most artists, however, Eastwood's films are also concerned with the human condition. He won Oscars for best picture and director for the revenge western 'Unforgiven' (1992) and 'Million Dollar Baby' (2004), both moving emotional experiences. He has some surprising films on his resume, too. Who would have thought that as a much younger man he would sensitively explore a May-December romance in 1973's underrated 'Breezy,' starring William Holden? Or that he would explore the jazz legend Charlie Parker in 1988's 'Bird,' starring Forest Whitaker? (Eastwood once said America's two greatest artistic inventions were jazz and the western movie genre.) And then there is 1995's 'The Bridges of Madison County,' one of the great modern weepy romances in which he starred opposite Meryl Streep. As he's aged, Eastwood's films have deepened with a sense of changing times and of characters who are isolated or lost, at least temporarily. In ' Gran Torino ' (2008), he channels his own tough-guy persona to portray a hardened conservative white guy's journey to embracing immigration. While reconnecting with his daughter (Amy Adams) in ' Trouble With the Curve ' (2012), he's an aging baseball scout traversing the small town trappings of a sport and an America he no longer recognizes. In 'The Mule' (2019), he's an elderly man forced to turn to drug running during tough economic times. In retrospect, Eastwood's heroes and antiheroes alike have valued one undisputed ideology: competence. Perhaps the system isn't really corrupt, it's just run by buffoons. The line between societal order and anarchy is a thin one manned by the capable — Dirty Harry vs. the mayor and the San Francisco political machine, for example. But increasingly, Eastwood's competent heroes are working quietly, and unspectacularly, in the shadows until history demands they reveal themselves in a series of heartfelt ripped-from-the headlines stories. His films have celebrated the heroism of Iraq War hero Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper in 2014's ' American Sniper '), East Bay commercial pilot Sully Sullenberger (Tom Hanks in 2016's ' Sully '), the soldiers who foiled a terrorist plot (2018's 'The 15:17 to Paris') and the unlikely misfit who saved lives during the Atlanta Olympics (Paul Walter Hauser in 2019's 'Richard Jewell'). All the while, Eastwood's box-office drawing power remains vibrant with his films reliably turning a profit. 'American Sniper' made a half-billion dollars, while 'Sully' and 'The Mule' each took in about four times its budget. It's a notable feat in an ever-changing Hollywood theatrical and streaming model that often struggles to identify what an audience wants. Take last year's courtroom thriller ' Juror No. 2,' said to be Eastwood's last film as director. Even with an unprecedented record as an A-list director and star stretching back for more than nearly 60 years, his longtime studio, Warner Bros., made the film available in just a few theaters without much of an advertising push. Now, it's a streaming hit on Max since its debut there in December.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Tragic update in case of Brit tourist missing in Peru
Officials in Peru have provided a devastating update on the Hannah Almond missing person case, revealing the elderly homeless man who supported her has sadly died A homeless man who became friends with rescued backpacker Hannah Almond has tragically died just days after being placed into a charity-run OAP home. The British tourist began sleeping rough after her personal belongings were stolen in Peru. She ended up living under a bridge in the city of Cusco, and slept alongside the man, who became the only person she trusted for an entire month. On Tuesday, the 32-year-old fashion graduate was found by a Good Samaritan she had earlier met on her travels. He joined in on the search efforts and successfully located her. Piero Villanueva posted a selfie of the pair smiling and told local media: "I have just found her. She is safe and well. I'd like to thank the authorities and the people who contacted me so I could help her. Hannah recognised me and approached me crying and I asked her to leave with me. Thanks God she's safe." Hannah is expected to be flown back to the UK to continue her recovery. Overnight it emerged the elderly man she had spent most of the last few weeks with died at the charity home he had been taken to after a brief stay at a hostel. He is understood to have been found dead in his bed yesterday. Local authorities have confirmed he has yet to be identified and are now expected to try to find out who he is with fingerprint tests as part of an autopsy and a possible public appeal. If he cannot be formally identified he is likely to be buried in a pauper's grave. It is not yet clear whether Hannah, whose mental health is known to be unstable, has been told the devastating news about the man. Henry Gonzales, a legal advisor for a Cusco public beneficence department, confirmed Hannah's friend's death, saying he had been admitted to the OAP residence where he died with the initials NN which stand for Ningun Nombre or No Name in English. He also claimed the homeless man had appeared to be okay health -wise when local authorities took him in, adding: 'He had already been assigned a bed and a room in his new residence.' The dead man's body is now at a morgue in Cusco. There is nothing at this stage pointing to his death being crime-related. A GoFundMe appeal set up by friends of Hannah's to help her get back to the UK from Peru before she vanished after her forced eviction now stands at nearly 95 per cent of its £10,000 target. Hannah's pal Sophie Wallace had revealed on the GoFundMe page before her worrying disappearance late last week: 'Hannah travelled to Peru in March hoping for an adventure but instead she has found herself in a terrifying and heartbreaking situation. 'She was robbed and assaulted, losing her passport, phone, and all of her money. Since then Hannah's mental health, something she has long struggled with, has severely declined. She is now in the midst of a mental health crisis, living under a bridge with a homeless man she befriended, the only person she currently trusts. 'Despite attempts to help her through official channels, Hannah is deeply fearful and unable to accept support from the embassy or local authorities. She is extremely vulnerable, isolated, and not safe living on the streets of Peru.' Mark Atkinson, the British Consul in Peru, told local media Hannah arrived in Cusco in early March as a tourist and did not plan to overstay her visa as he revealed her immigration status was now in said before she sparked fears for her safety by vanishing that the embassy had coordinated help with local police and offered direct support including hotel accommodation and food, but she kept returning to the same bridge she had been sleeping under before her forced eviction.
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Homeless man who befriended Brit backpacker Hannah Almond after her Peru robbery hell dies just days after she was found
TRAGIC TWIST Homeless man who befriended Brit backpacker Hannah Almond after her Peru robbery hell dies just days after she was found THE homeless man who befriended rescued rough sleeper British tourist Hannah Almond in Peru has tragically died. The 32-year-old from Grimsby slept rough under a bridge with the elderly man and was filmed desperately trying to stop cops from taking him away after locals forced the pair to move and burned their belongings. Advertisement 3 She ended up living on the streets after being robbed of all her money and passport 3 Brit backpacker Hannah went to Peru on a yoga retreat to 'find herself' 3 Hannah was found on Tuesday by a Good Samaritan local Piero Villanueva who discovered her slumped on a pavement. Piero had been liaising with the British Consul and Hannah's friends in a WhatsApp group, coordinating efforts to track her down. Overnight it emerged the elderly man Hannah spent most of the last few weeks with died at a charity-run OAP home he had been taken to after a brief stay at a hostel. He is understood to have been found dead in his bed yesterday. Advertisement Local authorities have confirmed he has yet to be identified and are now expected to try to find out who he is with fingerprint tests as part of an autopsy and a possible public appeal. If he cannot be formally identified he is likely to be buried in a pauper's grave. It is not yet clear whether Hannah, whose mental health is known to be unstable, has been told the devastating news about the man described as the sole person she trusted after ending up on the streets. Henry Gonzales, a legal advisor for a Cusco public beneficence department, confirmed Hannah's friend's death, saying he had been admitted to the OAP residence where he died with the initials NN which stand for Ningun Nombre or No Name in English. Advertisement He also claimed the homeless man had appeared to be okay health-wise when local authorities took him in, adding: 'He had already been assigned a bed and a room in his new residence.' The dead man's body is now at a morgue in Cusco. There is nothing at this stage pointing to his death being crime-related.
Hamilton Spectator
30-04-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Loblaw still adding Canadian products but CEO says ‘Buy Canadian' trend may not last
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. says it's still working to stock its grocery store shelves with more Canadian products as shoppers look for local alternatives during the Canada-U.S. trade war, but the company's chief executive admits the shift may not last. 'We recognize that Canadians care deeply about the region of the product they purchase and we continue to actually seek out Canadian growers and manufacturers for the products we sell,' Loblaw president and CEO Per Bank told analysts on a conference call Wednesday, as the company reported its first-quarter profit rose compared with a year ago. While Bank said it's difficult to gauge consumer preferences in-store, data from Loblaw's online grocery service shows a clear pivot by shoppers toward the 'Buy Canadian' movement that has gained momentum since U.S. tariffs went into effect. He said less than four per cent of PC and No Name brand products come from the U.S. 'Just before this meeting, I was down in the test kitchen and I was observing that they are testing a lot of new products,' Bank said. 'They have been really, really busy to help mitigate the tariff situation so we can buy less from the U.S.' With tariffs adding to pressure on the cost of some food items and other essentials, Bank said the grocery retailer is 'working diligently to keep prices as low as possible.' Earlier this year, Loblaw began highlighting domestic products in its stores while also marking products that have seen price hikes due to tariffs. It also added a 'swap and shop' feature to its loyalty app to help shoppers find Canadian products more easily. Asked if he anticipates the 'Buy Canadian' trend will persist, Bank said he was hopeful, but predicted that 'maybe a third of it will stick' long term. He said price and quality are still the most important factors customers consider when choosing which products to buy. 'If price and quality is best (for) a Canadian product, then they choose those, but if it's a foreign product, they will choose that,' said Bank. 'Right now, they prefer Canadian products. I would say if the price is almost the same, like up to five per cent different, then customers buy Canadian, so I hope it sticks.' The parent company of Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart said it also continued seeing strong customer response to loyalty offers and promotions during the quarter. Its net earnings available to common shareholders amounted to $503 million or $1.66 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 22. The result was up from a profit of $459 million or $1.47 per diluted share in the first quarter of 2024. On an adjusted basis, Loblaw says it earned $1.88 per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of $1.72 per diluted share a year earlier. Analysts on average had expected an adjusted profit of $1.87 per diluted share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics. RBC analyst Irene Nattel called it 'another solid quarter' for Loblaw, saying its key performance indicators were generally in line with expectations. She said that points to sustained momentum for the company. Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.1 billion, up from $13.6 billion, as food retail same-store sales rose 2.2 per cent. Drug retail same-store sales rose 3.8 per cent, with pharmacy and health care services same-store sales up 6.4 per cent, and front store same-store sales increasing 0.9 per cent. In February, Loblaw announced plans to spend $2.2 billion in 2025 to open 80 new grocery stores and pharmacies with about 50 of them being discount grocers. Bank had said many would be smaller-format stores, building the company's network of those types of grocers after launching small-format No Frills stores for the first time last May. Ten of those stores opened last quarter with the same amount planned for the second quarter, while the remaining 60 will open in the second half of this year. Bank said the company is encouraged by the early performance of its newest locations, with the majority 'living up to our expectations.' 'If the new stores wouldn't be working, then I would not open one more store,' he said. 'So the moment we see it won't work, then of course we will stop building new stores. But trust me, that will work the next five years because customers, they're asking for lower prices, they're asking for hard discounts.' The investment, which is part of about $10 billion over five years, will also add 100 pharmacy care clinics to the company's network. Loblaw opened 52 new stores in 2024 as well as 78 new clinics. Loblaw also said Wednesday that its dividend rose to 56.4 cents per common share, an increase of 10 per cent, marking the 14th consecutive year of dividend increases. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX:L)
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jack White still has more to say as he makes latest return to his favorite Detroit venue
After eight months traversing the world — including a run of gigs at small venues and out-of-the-way spots — Jack White at last made his back way to the most familiar room of them all. Saturday night at the Masonic Temple Theatre, the Detroit-born star waged a nearly two-hour show to kick off a two-night stand at the Midtown venue that has long been his favored concert habitat when at home. It followed unconventional dates last summer at Detroit's Saint Andrew's Hall and Ann Arbor's Blind Pig, part of a global band-on-the-run dash on the heels of White's album 'No Name.' Saturday brought a sinewy performance with episodes of explosiveness, zigzagging across White's career work while plucking from some less-explored corners of his library amid the seasoned hits, including a night-closing 'Seven Nation Army.' That now-iconic White Stripes classic may be a standard show finale these days, complete with a requisite singalong chant like the one belted out by Saturday's sellout crowd. But back in April 2003, 'Seven Nation Army' was a brand-new number the first time it got a Masonic workout, when Jack and Meg White gave the song its live Detroit debut. These days, that sort of historical subtext is naturally built into any Jack White homecoming concert: It's a sense of rich tradition mingling with the latest musical adventurousness from an artist who, at 49, still seems restless for creative stimuli. White will always have a foot firmly planted in blues-wired rock, but Saturday showed him once again toying with the terrain. At the Masonic, that mission was aided by three longtime musician friends — bassist and childhood pal Dominic Davis, drummer Patrick Keeler (the Raconteurs) and veteran Detroit organist Bobby Emmett. They offered nimble interplay as White led the proceedings up front while reliably coaxing all manner of freakout tones, squeals and scything runs from his battery of guitars. Including vigorous show openers 'Old Scratch Blues' and 'That's How I'm Feeling,' the night featured half a dozen tunes from 'No Name,' the 2024 album that started as an enigmatic vinyl release before being officially registered as White's sixth solo record, joining his discography of work with the Stripes, Raconteurs and Dead Weather. The evening included a rare appearance of the White Stripes' 'The Union Forever.' The searing, growling rendition of that 2001 album track now came outfitted with a brief tirade aimed at Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, a longtime target of White's ire. Social commentary returned in the encore with 'Archbishop Harold Holmes,' the infectious 'No Name' song that takes on spiritual hucksterism. The mood was lighter elsewhere. While introducing a carousing 'Hotel Yorba,' White alluded to his Masonic visit three years ago, when he proposed to — then immediately wed — girlfriend Olivia Jean during a surprise mid-concert ceremony. 'I've got to be careful,' White told Saturday's crowd. 'Last time I was in this spot, I ended up getting married by the end of this song.' Olivia Jean and White's 93-year-old mother, Teresa Gillis, were among the 4,900 on hand Saturday, a crowd that included plenty of friends, family members and colleagues from White's Third Man Records. (White's mom worked decades ago as a Masonic usher — one of the personal connections that endeared him to the venerable Detroit complex.) White and company plowed through a handful of onstage technical hiccups, including issues with guitar cables and Keeler's drum kit, whipping up a cover of Robert Johnson's 'Phonograph Blues' and offering a quick flash of the rock 'n' roll chestnut 'Shakin' All Over' as channeled by the Who. A seven-song encore then piled on the energy, with the Stripes' 'Icky Thump' and a frantic 'Bombing Out' eventually leading to a potent Detroit-centric closing that coupled the Stooges' 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' with 'Seven Nation Army.' White has two more Michigan shows in hand — undoubtedly with shuffled set lists — as he returns Sunday to the Masonic before heading Tuesday to Grand Rapids' GLC Live at 20 Monroe. The No Name Tour will include a twofer in his adopted home base of Nashville before wrapping up on the West Coast in May. Contact Detroit Free Press music writer Brian McCollum: 313-223-4450 or bmccollum@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jack White hits Detroit's Masonic with tradition, fresh energy
