tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post3772944284994609778..comments2024-01-30T04:32:47.585-05:00Comments on The Cooler: A Losing Win: Flags Of Our FathersJason Bellamyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-71897781268156660912010-07-13T12:29:14.183-04:002010-07-13T12:29:14.183-04:00Big applause to Clint Eastwood for making Flags of...Big applause to Clint Eastwood for making <a href="http://www.freebestmovies.net/2010/07/full-length-flags-of-our-fathers-movies-online/" rel="nofollow">Flags of Our Fathers</a> great film showing war as it was, and is: ugly, frantic, corporate, confusing, frustrating and very sad. Soldiers accompany their friends into horrific situations with terrible consequences. Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach & Jesse Bradford are WONDERFUL.Danishhttp://www.freebestmovies.net/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-80115277076370157462009-01-13T01:21:00.000-05:002009-01-13T01:21:00.000-05:00Excellent essay...for some reason, I'm reminded of...Excellent essay...for some reason, I'm reminded of this "Onion" headline: "Djimon Hounsou To Play Every African In the World." I think the same thing when it comes to Adam Beach and portrayals of Indians. <BR/><BR/> This also reminds me of "Windtalkers," another WWII film that had massive potential, but was killed by a horrible script. And the shell of what used to be Nicholas Cage.James Yateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08318633423894546202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-46684043255917011752009-01-12T19:01:00.000-05:002009-01-12T19:01:00.000-05:00Daniel: Well, yes, I think the reduction issue is ...Daniel: Well, yes, I think the reduction issue is part of it. One of the things that's making the "Gran Torino" slur/race debate difficult is that there are a lot of different components to consider. And, of course, my argument is that the film contradicts itself. And that means that folks on each side of the fence can spend a lot of time canceling each other out with evidence for their cases before they get to the heart of it.<BR/><BR/>That said, I would like to point out, for what it's worth, that I didn't think of "Flags" while writing my "Gran Torino" review. Initially, I thought to post the "Flags" and "Letters" reviews with the latter in mind, as a sort of nod to a film that is consistently respectful in its view of The Other. It was along the way to doing that when I remembered the "Drunken Injun" and remembered the similarities.Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-82164874432304868942009-01-12T17:19:00.000-05:002009-01-12T17:19:00.000-05:00I can see why you re-posted this, Jason. It's the ...I can see why you re-posted this, Jason. It's the best review of FooF that I've read, and I'm someone who actually preferred the movie to Letters (mostly because I found FooF a more interesting story, even if a less illustrative one). <BR/><BR/>Now that you mention it, I wonder if I misunderstood your points in Gran Torino, but I don't think you rehashed your theory about the minority in question being reduced to the identity in question. I agree with that and can see how it would be true of both films. <BR/><BR/>But I guess I see it as an excusable weakness - most people aren't that perceptive, so for them to be shocked or provoked into any kind of thought about these cultural stereotypes is, well, a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Of course, the risk is that they will simply look over the marginalizing as they do in real life and take nothing from it anyway.Danielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05222052132452709301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-24482242069112683082009-01-12T16:33:00.000-05:002009-01-12T16:33:00.000-05:00Thanks much, Matt. I think that makes the score: J...Thanks much, Matt. I think that makes the score: Jason 1, Matt 117.Jason Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150199580478147196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163321594858726822.post-17135139118884207822009-01-12T16:16:00.000-05:002009-01-12T16:16:00.000-05:00"The WWII Collection by Dutch Boy."Much as I love ..."The WWII Collection by Dutch Boy."<BR/><BR/>Much as I love Spielberg, man, how I wish I'd written that.Matt Zoller Seitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16921028537989131859noreply@blogger.com