Green Zone

[Boom_70]

Caught this weekend. Entertaining 2 hours. Some of stuff was not plausible but good non the less.

Clear that the fictitious war zone reporter from the Wall Street Journal was suppose to be based on Judith Miller. Director provided clue by giving Matt Damon character the name "Miller" .

I've read that some conservatives were outraged and termed movie another liberal hollywood anti Bush movie. I did not find it to be the case.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

Only made $14 mil this weekend....Basically enough to cover Damon's salary. I read the reviews in the NY Post about the "liberal Hollywood meme" that was being thrown around. Dude, its a movie and I'l make my decisions if I want to see it if its going to be entertaining.

Not many people saw the Hurt Locker either and that won a bunch of Oscars. I guess the American people don't want to see Iraq war films.

 

[Killick]

Watched Greengrass and Damon on Charlie Rose last week talk about the film. Looked interesting, particularly in the fact that they used (inactive) military personnel for Damon's crew, and the way they added to the production.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

I saw it. I thought it was great.

The way Greengrass shoots makes me slightly queasy, but his films are very good.

 

[Killick]

Just noticed this is in Sports/News. Is it news that Boom saw a movie?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

If this film is a tenth as good as the last two Bourne films, it will be worth it.

 

[Boom_70]

If this film is a tenth as good as the last two Bourne films, it will be worth it.

It's a military version of Bourne- I would say perhaps just a tad below but a good 2 hours that does not leave checking your watch an hour in.

My only problem was that I could not see Damon acting so much on his own at the level he was was at.

 

[e4]

boom, good point, but put your game face on

 

[93Devil]

My folks saw it and loved it.

Although they are former GOPers (when their savings seemed to vanish), so take that with a grain of salt.

They also hated Sherlock Holmes, so they just won't fawn at any action movie.

 

[Boom_70]

Greg Kinnear has the Paul Bremer like State Dept bureaucrat act down pat.

I read that Kinnear's father was a diplomat so he was a perfect fit.

 

[Bodie_Broadus]

boom, good point, but put your game face on

"Put your game face on" is such a dumb expression. I cringed when Damon said that.

And it is not Bourne goes to war, the character Damon plays is nothing like Jason Bourne.

 

[User 1019]

boom, good point, but put your game face on

"Put your game face on" is such a dumb expression. I cringed when Damon said that.

And it is not Bourne goes to war, the character Damon plays is nothing like Jason Bourne.

This guy agrees

 

[Alma]

Only made $14 mil this weekend....Basically enough to cover Damon's salary. I read the reviews in the NY Post about the "liberal Hollywood meme" that was being thrown around. Dude, its a movie and I'l make my decisions if I want to see it if its going to be entertaining.

Not many people saw the Hurt Locker either and that won a bunch of Oscars. I guess the American people don't want to see Iraq war films.

No, they don't want to see them. Not enough distance from the event, and they correctly suspect the movies are criticial of America's presence in the Middle East. Hell - I'm critical of America's presence in the Middle East, and I'm already tired of seeing these movies. Many of the best Vietnam movies - Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, Platoon, Born On the Fourth, Hamburger Hill, Coming Home - had the advantage of some distance and, thus, disillusionment had set in. In our 24/7 culture, moviemakers feel like commenting RIGHT NOW, and their films are often polemics as a result. What they fail to appreciate is that the talking heads of TV have already covered these bases and slathered them in barbecue sauce. A movie could posit pretty much any position, and there are built-in talking points to assail it.

I mean, go to a book store. Goodness - how many friggin books do we need about Iraq? 100? 1,000? How many ways can we look at something before it's even ended? It's hard to glean clarity from a situation while the iron of emotion is still really hot. People who were wrong - on either side of the debate - aren't going to admit their errors yet. Not with so much still at stake. And until you can get some measure of equanimity on what's transpired over there, the films (and most books) are flawed, at best.

Hollywood's filmmakers still remain outraged, to some extent, over friggin Vietnam. Remember, Hollywood is larded with Baby Boomers who still haven't forgotten. The key difference between that war, and this one, is the concept of a volunteer army. It's a lot harder to be outraged when the current troops, at some base level, enlisted with the possibility of war happening.

 

[Boom_70]

Good stuff Alama.

I think the problem with Iraq war movies are poor sound tracks.

The directors had a lot more to work with for Viet Nam.

As far as Green Zone I think too much is being read into it. It is an entertaining 2 hours as far as movies go. It's not a deep political expose.

 

[Alma]

Wanted to add that, based on box office returns over, oh, the last year, people are choosing to see one or two movies over and over again. They won't go see six movies during the holidays. They'll see Avatar four times in 3D, 2D, IMAX, etc. They'll see New Moon five times. Or The Blind Side with 3 families. They want the same experienced over and over and over.

It's astonishing to me that Alice in Wonderland, a middling, <i>weird</i> film, has made 220 million in 10 days. It's making six times what any other movie is making.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

A problem for Green Zone is that another Iraq War movie, Hurt Locker, which is outstanding, just won the Best Picture Oscar. Have to be a lot of moviegoers who decide if they're going to see an Iraq War movie, they'll go with the award winner.

 

[Boom_70]

A problem for Green Zone is that another Iraq War movie, Hurt Locker, which is outstanding, just won the Best Picture Oscar. Have to be a lot of moviegoers who decide if they're going to see an Iraq War movie, they'll go with the award winner.

Having seen both I would guess that mass audience would like Green Zone more. Not near as good movie but more fast paced action.