Miscellaneous Movie Musings

scaeagles · 05-24-2006, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Too lame. I think this county has, thankfully, had its fill of rah-rah patriotism for a while. Everything I've seen of that screams TV movie, not big screen material.

Interesting. I've seen it, and what I think makes the movie so good is that it does no politicizing whatsoever. It doesn't portray the Islamic terrorists as madmen, it doesn't portray the people on the flight as overly heroic....it is simply a film about what happened with no slant at all.

If simply telling the story in an extremely well done movie is rah-rah patriotism, then I guess we have a differing opinion on what rah-rah patriotism is.

As far as why people aren't seeing it....it hurts. It's emotional. It isn't for everyone. I never saw The Passion of the Christ. I am well aware of what happened in that story, and I don't object to the material. I just really didn't want to see it.

Ghoulish Delight · 05-24-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

If simply telling the story in an extremely well done movie is rah-rah patriotism, then I guess we have a differing opinion on what rah-rah patriotism is.

Having not seen it, I can only go by the advertising and general publicity. I've heard too much "You're not an American if you don't see this" to particularly want to see it. And the scenes I've seen make it look like it has the production values of a made for TV movie.

I've seen documentaries on the timeline of flight 93. I've heard the cell phone calls. I know the facts of the event. I'm not compelled to see a dramatization of it.

scaeagles · 05-24-2006, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

I've seen documentaries on the timeline of flight 93. I've heard the cell phone calls. I know the facts of the event. I'm not compelled to see a dramatization of it.

I can understand that. That's exactly why I posted a similarity between that and me not seeing the Passion of the Christ. I completely understand what NA has said as well. It isn't for everyone.

As far as "you're not an American if you don't see it", fortunately I have heard none of that. It isn't about being an American. As Ally pointed out, it's more like a documentary.

Scrooge McSam · 05-24-2006, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

As far as "you're not an American if you don't see it", fortunately I have heard none of that.

I'm glad that's something you've not had to deal with. Working within a government organization, my experience has been a bit different.

Around here, they still pester us every Friday to wear red to show our support for the war. I usually wear black.

scaeagles · 05-24-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrooge McSam

Around here, they still pester us every Friday to wear red

Just pretend it's a weekly gay day.

Scrooge McSam · 05-24-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Just pretend it's a weekly gay day.

Somehow, I can't see myself in an "I got rear-ended on the Jadwin" tshirt.

Not Afraid · 05-24-2006, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

As far as "you're not an American if you don't see it".....

I was wondering how I could get ride of 300+ years of American heritage. I'll just not see this film. Poof, you're French!

innerSpaceman · 05-24-2006, 08:02 PM

^ OMG, the fan base for Minority Report just doubled!

Quote:

Originally Posted by scaeagles

It (United 93) isn't for everyone. As far as "you're not an American if you don't see it", fortunately I have heard none of that.

Yeah, I never heard any of that about this film either. Though there are many people who are still 9/11 overloaded. And it's certainly a gut-wrenching film that may be too sad or emotional for some people at some times.

Many of you here might know that zapppop has a phonographic memory. He remembers with uncanny precision everything he hears. What is less well known is that he has a photographic memory as well. I took him to see United 93, and that was a terrible mistake. He cannot shake disturbing imagery. It won't go away from his consciousness, and it will disturb his dreams tremendously.

I happen to like true life stories of fantastical happenings. Truth is almost always stranger, and better, than fiction. And since I can barely remember where I put my keys, any emotional damage is quickly forgotten.

Alex · 05-24-2006, 08:08 PM

I was moderately approving of Minority Report and Rotten Tomatoes shows a 92% rating for it so you can't be all that alone.

Alex · 05-24-2006, 01:00 PM

1) I left out a word. FedEx officially began using the FedEx name in 1994 (though the FDX Co. was the owner of it all until changing that name in 2000). So the name and logos were accurate for 1995.

2) On the Stephen King thing, if it only bothers you if the "author" was paid for the placement, when you see products in a movie do you have to wait until you get home to see if money changed hands before you decide whether it was annoying?

3) Even in low budget movies pretty much everything and everybody involved is only there because money is changing hands. Hardly any of it is not-for-profit, just-for-the-hell-of-it community theater.

4) But it is ok, we can disagree. I just don't understand how or where you draw the line. Does it bother you that pretty much all of the cars in movies are real-world cars and generally identifiable as such? I just watched Last American Hero (one of the only truly good redneck movies to come out of the '70s) and they actually mentioned Ford and Chevy by name. And NASCAR (as does the upcoming Cars). It would have been easy to create a fictional stock car racing circuit but the shorthand is certainly more convenient and effective, even if it was paid for in the case of Cars (and I'm sure permission was at least given for logo use in Last American Hero).

5) There isn't a bit of "rah-rah patriotism" in United 93. It is a barebones attempt at recreating the events of that morning. Causes, reasons, and results aren't mentioned. The movie literally begins with the hijackers leaving their hotel room, ends with the last plane hitting the ground and never wanders into any side discussion. It is one of the most impactful films I've seen in a long time and nothing about it sinks to the quality of a TV movie.

6) I think it didn't do well because most people aren't really interested in seeing the story recreated, no matter how well it is done. For most people older than 15 when 9/11 happened they'll probably never be quite ready but for younger people it will just be an incident in history or a dimly held memory from their childhood. I think the movie will go down as one of the great reportorial pieces of moviemaking ever but it will have to wait for that next generation to do so.

05-24-2006, 08:08 PM	#9
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I was moderately approving of Minority Report and Rotten Tomatoes shows a 92% rating for it so you can't be all that alone.
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05-24-2006, 01:00 PM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	1) I left out a word. FedEx officially began using the FedEx name in 1994 (though the FDX Co. was the owner of it all until changing that name in 2000). So the name and logos were accurate for 1995. 2) On the Stephen King thing, if it only bothers you if the "author" was paid for the placement, when you see products in a movie do you have to wait until you get home to see if money changed hands before you decide whether it was annoying? 3) Even in low budget movies pretty much everything and everybody involved is only there because money is changing hands. Hardly any of it is not-for-profit, just-for-the-hell-of-it community theater. 4) But it is ok, we can disagree. I just don't understand how or where you draw the line. Does it bother you that pretty much all of the cars in movies are real-world cars and generally identifiable as such? I just watched Last American Hero (one of the only truly good redneck movies to come out of the '70s) and they actually mentioned Ford and Chevy by name. And NASCAR (as does the upcoming Cars). It would have been easy to create a fictional stock car racing circuit but the shorthand is certainly more convenient and effective, even if it was paid for in the case of Cars (and I'm sure permission was at least given for logo use in Last American Hero). 5) There isn't a bit of "rah-rah patriotism" in United 93. It is a barebones attempt at recreating the events of that morning. Causes, reasons, and results aren't mentioned. The movie literally begins with the hijackers leaving their hotel room, ends with the last plane hitting the ground and never wanders into any side discussion. It is one of the most impactful films I've seen in a long time and nothing about it sinks to the quality of a TV movie. 6) I think it didn't do well because most people aren't really interested in seeing the story recreated, no matter how well it is done. For most people older than 15 when 9/11 happened they'll probably never be quite ready but for younger people it will just be an incident in history or a dimly held memory from their childhood. I think the movie will go down as one of the great reportorial pieces of moviemaking ever but it will have to wait for that next generation to do so.
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