Syriana...

[tbl]

What's the point??? I've never seen a more boring, bland movie in my life. I didn't even finish it. I stopped it as Clooney was getting arrested...

Seriously, I just don't understand why it would get such high critical praise. I'm all about good movies, but this one was the suck.

[proud gonzo]

*sigh* i'm not getting into this discussion

[1stTimeCaller]

*sigh* i'm not getting into this discussion
good call. you should go bake some cookies or something and let the men discuss this.






































:D

[tbl]

Please; elaborate. If you thought it was good/compelling/thought provoking/intense, I want to know why.

[achiro]

Well apparently it was all a crock because it portrayed Beirut as a horrible place to be and we now know that it was the Paris of the Mediteranian.

[tbl]

So is the movie supposed to be based on fact? I know Clooneys character was based on a real guy, but how close to the facts were they? Somebody give me the LD...

[proud gonzo]

ok, my brief opinion on the movie... I liked it. It's not a movie i watch so much for entertainment but for tone. the fact that you jump in on the middle of conversations and don't know what's going on--the structure that's so jumbled gives the impression of what the people IN the story must have felt so you can see how it was for the characters not knowing any complete story or all sides of the equation. Instead of explaining it clues you in on Clooney's character's experience by giving you the same feeling of confusion. But in the end (had you gotten to the end of the movie) it ties all the characters and story lines together and there's a brief moment of light where you think things are all going to make sense. A fleeting bit of hope before the end.

It's not a movie for everyone or even for many, but I enjoyed the unique way they told the story. ...personally i think it's more about the characters than about what's going on. that's the focus.

[tbl]

I got that impression. It seemed like they were spending a LOT of time developing characters that seemingly had nothing to do with the overall plot. If you'd be so kind, send me a spoiler and let me know how it ended. I sent it back and I am NOT renting it again. I'm assuming those dudes that got laid off got sucked into being terrorists by the Muslim University.

I want a movie with a good plotline. A movie with a solid plot will develop the characters very well. However a movie that only develops characters doesn't necessarily have a good plot (as is the case with this crapfest).

[Tear Down This Wall]

It got high critical praise because it plays up the American-is-bad angle that Hollywood loves. Ironically, the folks in Hollywood would be the first people the islamofascists would kill if they could ever cobble together an air force or navy capable of conquering the U.S. Laughable.

IMHO, you rent a Clooney movie, you get what you deserve.

[tbl]

Nailed it. I figured it might be another Hollywood propaganda vehicle, but typically they at least make their garbage somewhat entertaining. This is only reinforcing my stance that I'm pretty much done with movies. Hollywood is now forcing their liberal ideals so much in movies, it's become intolerable. I think it's probably been that way for a while, but I'm just now starting to see it very clearly.

(BTW, my username was in place from back when the movie came out, so I consider that movie to be just as bad as the rest.)

[Tear Down This Wall]

Yeah, my family's been that way for a long time, big. It cuts down what you see to basically comedies and some romance. The last real war film I saw in a theatre was The Big Red One. My dad took me to see it when it came out.

If terror war flicks are going to be like this piece of trash Clooney foisted on people, it'll be that much longer before our family spends on those type of productions.

Sadly, our soldiers are protecting the rights of the people in America that hate them most.

[tbl]

It's not just those movies... it's almost everything coming out of Hollywood. Everything conservative (and especially Christian) is considered intolerable and evil.

I have a free preview of Stars on Dish, and Pleasantville came on the other day. I hadn't seen it in a while, so I was skimming. Basically, trash and indecency are considered enlightening and deeply meaningful, while people that don't want a mural of a naked woman painted in the middle of town for all their kids to see are considered intolerable fools.

[jeremy885]

IMHO, you rent a Clooney movie, you get what you deserve.


I thought Solaris was a good flick.

[tbl]

I think he's talking about a Clooney directed flick. O Brother is a good movie, but that's a Cohen brothers movie.

[Ike]

I think he's talking about a Clooney directed flick. O Brother is a good movie, but that's a Cohen brothers movie.


ummm...cloony didn't direct syriana

[proud gonzo]

I got that impression. It seemed like they were spending a LOT of time developing characters that seemingly had nothing to do with the overall plot. If you'd be so kind, send me a spoiler and let me know how it ended. I sent it back and I am NOT renting it again. I'm assuming those dudes that got laid off got sucked into being terrorists by the Muslim University.

I want a movie with a good plotline. A movie with a solid plot will develop the characters very well. However a movie that only develops characters doesn't necessarily have a good plot (as is the case with this crapfest).

you have to clear your PM box first

[proud gonzo]

It got high critical praise because it plays up the American-is-bad angle that Hollywood loves. Ironically, the folks in Hollywood would be the first people the islamofascists would kill if they could ever cobble together an air force or navy capable of conquering the U.S. Laughable.

IMHO, you rent a Clooney movie, you get what you deserve.

apparently you didn't see the clooney acted and directed Good Night and Good Luck, which was fantastic. :rolleyes:

[Scott D]

It's not just those movies... it's almost everything coming out of Hollywood. Everything conservative (and especially Christian) is considered intolerable and evil.

I have a free preview of Stars on Dish, and Pleasantville came on the other day. I hadn't seen it in a while, so I was skimming. Basically, trash and indecency are considered enlightening and deeply meaningful, while people that don't want a mural of a naked woman painted in the middle of town for all their kids to see are considered intolerable fools.

if that's what you came away from pleasantville thinking...wow...just wow.

[yermom]

Nailed it. I figured it might be another Hollywood propaganda vehicle, but typically they at least make their garbage somewhat entertaining. This is only reinforcing my stance that I'm pretty much done with movies. Hollywood is now forcing their liberal ideals so much in movies, it's become intolerable. I think it's probably been that way for a while, but I'm just now starting to see it very clearly.

(BTW, my username was in place from back when the movie came out, so I consider that movie to be just as bad as the rest.)

so, it's not that you didn't get the point, it was that you didn't like the point.

nice flame bait

you might as well have ended the post with one of these: :pop:

and you didn't like The Big Lebowski? and you have had the handle for this long???

[BOOMERBRADLEY]

Umm.... Clooney was in Oceans 11 and 12 which IMO are freakin' awesome

[tbl]

I liked it a lot back in the day, but there's a lot of things in it I disagree with now. It's still funny, but a lot of stuff goes against what I believe now.

[tbl]

ummm...cloony didn't direct syriana
That was my point.

[mdklatt]

if that's what you came away from pleasantville thinking...wow...just wow.

What I took away from Pleasantville is Reese Witherspoon in a white T-shirt at the begininng. :texan:

[Scott D]

What I took away from Pleasantville is Reese Witherspoon in a white T-shirt at the begininng. :texan:

yeah but you are a heathen ;)

[tbl]

if that's what you came away from pleasantville thinking...wow...just wow.
Obviously the townspeople that were b/w went overboard, and that kind of reinforces the point. People that don't want their teenagers having premarital sex and don't want naked women painted in public view for everybody to see are not in color, thus not enlightened. That's the exact point of the movie. What did you think it was about?

[mdklatt]

Obviously the townspeople that were b/w went overboard, and that kind of reinforces the point. People that don't want their teenagers having premarital sex and don't want naked women painted in public view for everybody to see are not in color, thus not enlightened. That's the exact point of the movie. What did you think it was about?

Damn. For claiming how worthless Hollywood is, conservatives sure take that **** awfully seriously.

[Scott D]

Obviously the townspeople that were b/w went overboard, and that kind of reinforces the point. People that don't want their teenagers having premarital sex and don't want naked women painted in public view for everybody to see are not in color, thus not enlightened. That's the exact point of the movie. What did you think it was about?

I think it's pretty clear that I didn't think it was about the same thing as you. I saw it more as the people who remained in b/w were resistant to change, whatever that change may be (for the good or for the bad). The people who became in color were ones who were pushing for some sort of change (once again for the good or for the bad). Then again, I'm not ultra-sensitive to percieve that my beliefs are being mocked by Hollywood.

[tbl]

That's why I'm not going to give any more of my money to them...

[Scott D]

you should probably trade your tv in for an old b/w model, and downgrade from a dvd player to a betamax while you are at it. :rolleyes:

[NYSooner1355]

I enjoyed Pleasantville for the basic storyline...

but it is definitely an analogy between "liberal" and "conservative" themes...

[Scott D]

I enjoyed Pleasantville for the basic storyline...

but it is definitely an analogy between "liberal" and "conservative" themes...

these days you could argue that nearly everything is an analogy between "liberal" and "conservative"

[1stTimeCaller]

if that's what you came away from pleasantville thinking...wow...just wow.

no doubt. I loved that movie. I'm not the most conservative poster on here but I'm far from the most liberal. Of course when I first watched Fried Green Tomatoes I never realized that there were lesbians in it until one of my friends couldn't go watch it because of the lesmolians in it.

[tbl]

I think it's pretty clear that I didn't think it was about the same thing as you. I saw it more as the people who remained in b/w were resistant to change, whatever that change may be (for the good or for the bad). The people who became in color were ones who were pushing for some sort of change (once again for the good or for the bad). Then again, I'm not ultra-sensitive to percieve that my beliefs are being mocked by Hollywood.
Well, I think it's pretty clear what they're saying.

B/W = fuddy dud, boring, bland, closed-minded, hateful
color = open minded, accepting, adventurous, loving, generous

Why would being to resistant to bad change be labelled as a negative thing?

I'm not ultra-sensitive about it at all. It's not that hard to see that Hollywood is primarily dominated by liberals (they boast of this), so they're beliefs are going to permeate the art they create. When they're beliefs are diametrically opposed to mine, it's not hard to notice. Obviously not all movies from Hollywood are propaganda pieces. Some are pure entertainment that have little to no liberal slant whatsoever.

[tbl]

BTW, the cinematogrophy in Pleasantville is amazing.

[Scott D]

Well, I think it's pretty clear what they're saying.

B/W = fuddy dud, boring, bland, closed-minded, hateful
color = open minded, accepting, adventurous, loving, generous

Why would being to resistant to bad change be labelled as a negative thing?

I'm not ultra-sensitive about it at all. It's not that hard to see that Hollywood is primarily dominated by liberals (they boast of this), so they're beliefs are going to permeate the art they create. When they're beliefs are diametrically opposed to mine, it's not hard to notice. Obviously not all movies from Hollywood are propaganda pieces. Some are pure entertainment that have little to no liberal slant whatsoever.

For what it's worth, I thought Pleasantville was crap, but not for the same reasons you did. I didn't like it because it was poorly directed, the acting was bad, and the dialogue was ridiculous. I just don't see why every 2nd or 3rd movie has to be called a 'liberal attack on values' these days. Either watch something for entertainment value, or don't watch it at all.

It's like the brokeback obsession when that movie came out. For all the railing against it being made and released that went on here, nobody was having their arm twisted into going to see it. Hell, I defended it being made despite having absolutely no intention of ever going to see it.

The issue with the 'changes for the bad' in the film is that those pushing for the changes may not percieve they are bad changes. That would be the argument against 'change for the sake of change'.

So what if Hollywood is predominantly liberal, honestly. So is the music industry, are you going to quit listening to the radio, or your CD's also?

[mdklatt]

Why would being to resistant to bad change be labelled as a negative thing?



I wonder this same thing about people who think we don't need to worry about the possible consequences global warming....

[tbl]

So what if Hollywood is predominantly liberal, honestly. So is the music industry, are you going to quit listening to the radio, or your CD's also?
I've been thinking about it... ;)

[tbl]

I wonder this same thing about people who think we don't need to worry about the possible consequences global warming....
I drive a Civic. 40 mpg. :P

[49r]

apparently you didn't see the clooney acted and directed Good Night and Good Luck, which was fantastic. :rolleyes:

:les: WHAT ARE YOU? SOME KIND OF PINKO COMMIE??!!

:mad:

;)

[OCUDad]

these days you could argue that nearly everything on the SO gets turned into a war between "liberal" and "conservative" whether it really is or not.Fixed.

[GottaHavePride]

It got high critical praise because it plays up the American-is-bad angle that Hollywood loves.

No, it got a lot of critical praise because it tried telling a story in a way that most movies won't try because it takes a lot of effort on the part of the audience to understand what the film is trying to say, whether you agree with it or not. It's the same reason most music audiences don't like Schoenberg even though he's required study in any academic music setting - it requires far more mental effort on the part of the audience than, say, a Dave Matthews concert.


you have to remember, PG's opinions on movies are coming from a person that intends to be a professional screenwriter, so she's looking at a movie like Syriana way more analytically than your average moviegoer. Of course then she turns around and goes to see Pirates of the Caribbean because **** blows up and she thinks Johnny Depp is cute. ;)

[proud gonzo]

yes.... yes I do :D

[Scott D]

No, it got a lot of critical praise because it tried telling a story in a way that most movies won't try because it takes a lot of effort on the part of the audience to understand what the film is trying to say, whether you agree with it or not. It's the same reason most music audiences don't like Schoenberg even though he's required study in any academic music setting - it requires far more mental effort on the part of the audience than, say, a Dave Matthews concert.


you have to remember, PG's opinions on movies are coming from a person that intends to be a professional screenwriter, so she's looking at a movie like Syriana way more analytically than your average moviegoer. Of course then she turns around and goes to see Pirates of the Caribbean because **** blows up and she thinks Johnny Depp is cute. ;)

taking a dump requires far more mental effort than a Dave Matthews concert :D

that reminds me, a local radio guy here said to avoid Huey Lewis & The News in concert now...apparently Huey can't even hit the cheesy notes he used to hit in the 80s...and sounds like he's got emphysema.

[Tear Down This Wall]

apparently you didn't see the clooney acted and directed Good Night and Good Luck, which was fantastic. :rolleyes:

Synopsis: Taking place during the early days of broadcast journalism in 1950's America, a chronicle of the real-life conflict between television news man Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy and the House Un-American Activities Committee. With a desire to report the facts and enlighten the public, Murrow, and his dedicated staff--headed by his producer Fred Friendly and Joe Wershba in the CBS newsroom--defy corporate and sponsorship pressures to examine the lies and scaremongering tactics perpetrated by McCarthy during his communist "witch-hunts." A very public feud develops when the Senator responds by accusing the anchor of being a communist. In this climate of fear and reprisal, the CBS crew carries on regardless and their tenacity eventually pays off when McCarthy is brought before the Senate and made powerless as his lies and bullying tactics are finally uncovered.

No. Doesn't sound like I'll ever see that either. Wee-hee, another re-hashing of the McCarthy Era. Lame.

[Tear Down This Wall]

It's not just those movies... it's almost everything coming out of Hollywood. Everything conservative (and especially Christian) is considered intolerable and evil.

I have a free preview of Stars on Dish, and Pleasantville came on the other day. I hadn't seen it in a while, so I was skimming. Basically, trash and indecency are considered enlightening and deeply meaningful, while people that don't want a mural of a naked woman painted in the middle of town for all their kids to see are considered intolerable fools.

Agreed. I think some are catching on, though. Disney made the announcement today that they are cutting back on their "adult" movies and putting more into the ones that people actually pay money to go see.

[colleyvillesooner]

Agreed. I think some are catching on, though. Disney made the announcement today that they are cutting back on their "adult" movies and putting more into the ones that people actually pay money to go see.

Really, like Pirates of the Carribean 2, the highest opening weekend ever?

They aren't scaling back any of their Miramax films, just one's with the Disney Title. So it's not an ethics thing.

[Scott D]

Agreed. I think some are catching on, though. Disney made the announcement today that they are cutting back on their "adult" movies and putting more into the ones that people actually pay money to go see.

Disney's cutting back on anything and everything they can to increase profit margin. There are no ethics involved at all.

[Tear Down This Wall]

The point isn't ethics, the point is that they make more money by producing movies that non-American-hating people want to see. :D

[yermom]

that is why we have Miramax in the first place...

if there was just one studio making movies just for $$$ then it would all be Pixar/Disney animated crap

[tbl]

No, it got a lot of critical praise because it tried telling a story in a way that most movies won't try because it takes a lot of effort on the part of the audience to understand what the film is trying to say, whether you agree with it or not. It's the same reason most music audiences don't like Schoenberg even though he's required study in any academic music setting - it requires far more mental effort on the part of the audience than, say, a Dave Matthews concert.


you have to remember, PG's opinions on movies are coming from a person that intends to be a professional screenwriter, so she's looking at a movie like Syriana way more analytically than your average moviegoer. Of course then she turns around and goes to see Pirates of the Caribbean because **** blows up and she thinks Johnny Depp is cute. ;)

One of the most unique films made was Memento. The entire arrangement was extremely hard for some people to follow, but I consider that one of my top 3 movies. However, I think it's bullmess to say that simply b/c something is unique and new, it's automatically good (I'm not saying you're saying that).

Lost in Translation was not a good movie. Was it unique? Sure. Innovative? I guess. Boring as mess? Definitely!

A movie should captivate it's audience. Whether by pure entertainment, twists in the story, intelligent plotline, or interesting characters. The best combination is to at least have the latter two. If it makes you think, that's a good thing.

I'm sure there are more things that make a good film, but you can't have amazing cinematogrophy without a story to back it up. Otherwise it's just looking at a painting in in a museum.

[Scott D]

The point isn't ethics, the point is that they make more money by producing movies that non-American-hating people want to see. :D

who knew that 'non-American-hating' people wanted to watch cheesy cartoons all the time ;)

[proud gonzo]

this thread is complete crap except for "**** blows up" and "Johnny Depp is cute."

:D

[proud gonzo]

Johnny Depp is cute. ;)
bwahaha

[birddog]

I liked it a lot back in the day, but there's a lot of things in it I disagree with now. It's still funny, but a lot of stuff goes against what I believe now.
i'm interested to see what it is in lebowski that goes against what you believe now? it's a fictional, character-based movie about a couple of slackers. the COEN brothers will always make movies that won't be for everyone, but from all the books i've read on them i've come to realize they don't take themselves too seriously. they just rely on "real" dialogue and let the characters run with it.

[GDC]

Syriana was a lot better if you've read Robert Baer's books.

[proud gonzo]

maybe i'll have to do that... i liked the movie

[colleyvillesooner]

me too.