I watched part of American Sniper this weekend

[RockaFowler]

I know I'm late to the party. I wait until the movies come out on HBO or Starz because well I pay for that service!!

Anyway, not sure why this movie was nominated for an Academy Award. The acting is blah. The scenes are like glorified torture (similar to how I felt about Zero Dark Thirty). I actually thought that The Hurt Locker was a better representation of life in the military and life in the Middle East warzone. This movie (Sniper) tried to make Chris Kyle more than what he was. The way the movie jumped around from different time periods was really distracting as well. I wasn't sure what day it was and then all of a sudden it's September 11th.

I lasted about 90 minutes and then I finally had to give it up. Bad directing (same problem I had with Jersey Boys and Clint Eastwood - not a fan of his directing), bad acting and well a terrible subject matter. Not sure I understand why people think Hollywood is so Liberal. Do we not have any good stories about the war in Iraq/Afghanistan?? He shoots women and children and practically brags about it (oh wait he did - see Katrina part of his story).

Glad I waited to see this movie. It was bad enough watching it at home.

[Mr Dixon]

1. Agreed

I passed on watching this crap, HBO was playing it this weekend.

[Happyhippychick]

2. I agree with you.

And Hollywood is very liberal, Clint Eastwood is not.

[Mika]

11. Hollywood is liberal?? Hahahahaha

News Corp/FOX, Warner/AOL, Comcast/Universal, Disney. Uh huh. Liberal? Right.

Maybe many hollywood actors are liberals, but, not their employers.

[MADem]

3. I prefer watching movies at home, too.

At least you know some clown with orange hair isn't likely to barge in and shoot you and everyone in the vicinity.


And then, there's the miracle of "pause the show" and go have a pee!

A much nicer experience than sitting in a theater listening to strangers give you an ongoing commentary on what they're seeing.

Now, when I go to movies, it's almost always the DRIVE IN. The drive in is the exception to the rule--we enjoy bringing a few cars, setting up "camp," with lawn chairs (recliners, we're lazy) the cooler, and a dinner of sandwiches and treats--we'll even bring the dog(s), who are mostly well behaved--though one dog did try to "defend" us from the thundering hooves of the horses charging towards us in SEABISCUIT! Got a huge laugh from the people around us--a little dog, bravely charging the screen...she couldn't quite figure out where they went to, either!

Of course, this limits our movie-going time to the warmer months, pretty much. I did see LINCOLN in the theater--it was so packed we had to sit down in front, and it was a horrible experience. Uncomfortable seats, too many people--I watched it again at home, later, and realized how much I had missed.


I've heard way too much "EH" re: that American Sniper film. I'll add your "eh" to the lot, and give it a miss, I think.

[tularetom]

6. There's still a drive-in near you?

All the ones around here have been torn down and turned into giant flea markets or in the worst case, low rent strip malls.

We used to go all the time when the kids were small but that was 40 years ago. I doubt if we've been to a drive in since the reagan era.

If we watch a movie at all these days, its on the Roku box on Netflix, Amazon or Hulu, since we cut the cable about six months ago.

[MADem]

7. Not next door -- but close enough in the summer months, when I escape the "northern" heat!

http://www.wellfleetcinemas.com/drive-in-theatre

[maryellen99]

13. I'm the same as you

I want to see "The Martian" and the new Star Wars movie in the theater though.

[MADem]

16. Hey, how were they?

I am a sucker for space travel movies, even though I am now too old to be an astronaut. I like the IDEA of it.

I paid less attention to the Star Wars franchise (I don't think I ever even saw the Jar Jar Binks one) but I did like the first one, I think I've slept through at least one other, and I'd give it a shot if it was any good.

[maryellen99]

18. Haven't seen the Martian yet( want to read the book first)

Plus the new Star Wars movie doesn't come out until December 19th.

[MADem]

19. Jesus--that's it--new glasses for me!!!!!

I read "I want" as "I went!!!!"

You probably are thinking "Whassamatta with that moron--I said I WANT to see them!!!"

Agggh, I'm such a tool!

[maryellen99]

21. No you're not I'm like that too sometimes

[MADem]

22. I've been putting off going to the eye doc! WAY overdue!

[underpants]

4. I thought it was pretty good

[yeoman6987]

5. Watching it in the movie theater was an incredible experience

Leaving the theater was something I never experienced before the way everyone conducted themselves was absolutely flawless. I hope to experience it again but I think this was a once in a lifetime possibility.

[Old Codger]

8. I think

I lasted about 15 mins on that one,bunch of redneck macho bullshit

[olddots]

9. I could do 5 pages on how I hared it

Maybe the kraft service was good .

[mwrguy]

10. It's a racist snuff film

[el_bryanto]

12. I find the reactions to the film more interesting than the film.

Clint Eastwood has directed some great films, but he's pretty rough and ready, and it doesn't seem like this plays to his strengths. That said, it feels a bit like one of those movies that more than most reflects what you take into it. I guess because Eastwood is a straightforward, no frills director, you aren't really swept along with his vision.

But the reactions, even here at DU, vary from it as a well made action movie to - well a racist snuff film referenced above. That's some pretty harsh language there. If you include reactions off of DU as well as on it, you can include folks who believe it showed the greatness of America. That's a wide range of opinion.

I watched part of it, didn't find it compelling and stopped watching.

Bryant

[MADem]

17. I have also heard that it depicted a mentally ill service member at the end of his rope.

Not having seen it, I can't comment on the accuracy/inaccuracy of that description.

[AngryOldDem]

14. American hero worship.

When I saw that was HBO's Saturday feature, I passed.

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. It was an OK film...the politics that attached to it on the left and right were dumb

The film, in my view, actually makes Kyle seem like a really sad and delusional victim of war propaganda. The scene with his brother on the tarmac and his disdain for his slain comrade's turning away from the war were both really powerful indictments of the American war psyche and Kyle himself. I don't really understand either the conservative or liberal reading of the film. It's not Oscar caliber by any stretch. But it's a passably good film.

[Skittles]

20. it was propaganda

disgusting how many people approved