TLDR20
Verified SOF
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Stop being a bitch and grow some thicker skin.Sorry to see things end this way. Been a great few years
American Sniper Movie
- Thread starter ZmanTX
- Start date
TLDR20
Verified SOF
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- Jan 7, 2009
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Are we bashing people for opinions now? I thought that book was terribly written as well. Does that make me not a freedom loving American? No, it makes me a person who enjoys reading things that are professionally written and edited. Fuck guys, people are allowed to say a book sucks, they are even allowed to say it in a thread about a movie based on said shittily written book.
I wasn't bashing you, @Ravage, for thinking the book sucked. I was making my case for why I think the movie is going to kick ass whether the book sucked or not. I enjoyed reading it, imperfections and all, but I do have to clarify that a book must be nothing short of atrocious before I'll discard it. I stand by my opinion that, literary failures aside, Eastwood has plenty to work with to make a damned good movie in its own right simply based on the fact that the book is a solid primary source of historical information, perhaps with adequate Hollywood embellishment already built in.
I'm not going to apologize for disagreeing with you about the movie's potential, just as I don't expect you to. However, I expect more out of you after having been here on the board long enough to have developed some leathery thick skin when dealing with the other members here. I thought I did a pretty fair job of acknowledging that AS wasn't exactly a literary classic along the lines of To Kill a Mockingbird while not disparaging you for thinking it's literary toilet paper. As far as why you formed your opinion, I'm going to chalk up the misunderstanding to context and the language barrier.
As far as everyone else bashing on him for bashing on a book, I'm actually on board with @TLDR20 on this one. Let him hate it, and feel free to think what you want of his hating it, but he's not doing anything to run afoul of the rules just because he's sailing against the prevailing winds on this one. I personally think he just didn't do a good job of articulating exactly why it is he hates the book, and he's not as in tune as we are with American cinematography to understand the positive potential that having Clint Eastwood on board imparts on this project.
All y'all are trying my nerves today, and I'm not even through my first pot of coffee yet.
I'm not going to apologize for disagreeing with you about the movie's potential, just as I don't expect you to. However, I expect more out of you after having been here on the board long enough to have developed some leathery thick skin when dealing with the other members here. I thought I did a pretty fair job of acknowledging that AS wasn't exactly a literary classic along the lines of To Kill a Mockingbird while not disparaging you for thinking it's literary toilet paper. As far as why you formed your opinion, I'm going to chalk up the misunderstanding to context and the language barrier.
As far as everyone else bashing on him for bashing on a book, I'm actually on board with @TLDR20 on this one. Let him hate it, and feel free to think what you want of his hating it, but he's not doing anything to run afoul of the rules just because he's sailing against the prevailing winds on this one. I personally think he just didn't do a good job of articulating exactly why it is he hates the book, and he's not as in tune as we are with American cinematography to understand the positive potential that having Clint Eastwood on board imparts on this project.
All y'all are trying my nerves today, and I'm not even through my first pot of coffee yet.
I still enjoyed the book overall. Probably because I skipped the sections his wife wrote, and just read what he did (which is why I bought it).
I read it. and took it to be more of a narration, then a novel. I tend to like those books better.
I read it. and took it to be more of a narration, then a novel. I tend to like those books better.
D
Deleted member 2517
Guest
"Fight Club" and "Forrest Gump" are both films that immediately come to mind when talking about movies that have improved on or at least equaled the source material. Movies are about stories. Chief Kyle had a great story that may not have been told as well as it could have been via print. Give a guy like Easteood and a talented screenwriter and thy story will be able to shine. So no I don't think a film is doomed by it's source material.
With respect to Ravage and not bashing on his opinion but I do like contemporary war-themed books written in an informal, first-person, almost story-telling over beers kind of tone, complete with expletives and the humor the author found in those dire situations he/she/they were on. Cdr. Marcinko's Rogue Warrior was, to me, a good example. That, Lone Survivor and Sgt. Antoneri's Roughneck Nine-One were some of the war-themed books I've read that I liked.
Tom Clancy books, though to me are very good, also felt like they get caught up explaining the intricacies of the processes/technologies at times and loses story momentum. American Sniper sure sounds like something I would definitely like.
That being said, I seem to recall someone posting a YT video of Kyle in an interview yesterday. I tried to do a search in YT but did not find it. Can someone please PM me the link to that vid?
Tom Clancy books, though to me are very good, also felt like they get caught up explaining the intricacies of the processes/technologies at times and loses story momentum. American Sniper sure sounds like something I would definitely like.
That being said, I seem to recall someone posting a YT video of Kyle in an interview yesterday. I tried to do a search in YT but did not find it. Can someone please PM me the link to that vid?
RetPara
SOF Support
Damn I didn't realize that Cooper had been in American Hustle, or Bale or Renner for that matter.... Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence captivated me.... God I miss 70's womens fashions....
We just watched American Hustle and I was thoroughly impressed by Cooper's performance. I think if he puts half the effort into the Chris Kyle role and with Eastwood directing; this may be one of "The Film's" of this generation.
lrs143
Verified Military
Probably the best, most well done trailer I've ever seen. They don't give all the action parts to you before you get to the theatre. Leaves you with a very anxious feeling by the end especially if you've put crosshairs on another human being.
I've been waiting to see Bradley Cooper take on a more serious military role for awhile now, and if the trailer is any indication he does not disappoint. Can't wait to see the actual thing. I got chills a bit watching the trailer, thinking back to my days in Ramadi. Eastwood is an outstanding director, and combining him with Cooper.....it's gonna be a good movie.
Wrestler_1
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I don't want to step out of my lane here, but I just wanted to say that I saw this yesterday in the only theater it's playing in SoCal, and was blown away by how good it was. I read Chris Kyle's book roughly 6 months ago and the consistency of it and the movie is unbelievable. One of the best movies I've seen in my 19 years of living, I believe that every person should see this at least once. Clint's direction has once again left me in awe. After 10/10, in my honest opinion.
If its anything like the book it will be great.
There's most often a gap between a book & the film of a book. ( The only exception I know of is Slaughterhouse 5).
There's most often a gap between a book & the film of a book. ( The only exception I know of is Slaughterhouse 5).
- Joined
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Saw it this afternoon - 2 hours. Coulda been three. I would have liked to have seen a bit more of the interpersonal relationships developed as they were in the book. Starting with Kyle's dislike of the spotter he had on the roof (at the beginning) - unless you read the book, and got military culture, the average viewer could never appreciate those scenes. Had they, then it would given the viewer a bit of a chuckle when Kyle told him not to come back.
Also, I felt that the beginning, with Kyle's dad teaching the boys to be sheepdogs and not be sheep or wolves, was laid out too quickly and seemed forced. They could have spent just just 5 minutes exanding the scene where his little brother gets beaten up; it happened so fast that the audience never had a chance to feel emotionally involved with what whas happening.
The brutality of "the butcher" was more implied than shown, but they showed enough for folks in the theater to audibly mumble..."no...no...no..." (and similar when he had to kill the kid with the grenade) Eastwood did a briliant job of communicating the anguish some of the kills put Kyle through and also making the badguys look, well...bad. Really bad.
There were audible sniffs and sobs during closing credits (not exactly a spoiler here), when they showed video of his procession and funeral. I think this was even more powerful because even though the scenes were shorter than I would have liked, it was made clear how much helping the vets meant to Chris, and how much it had helped him get through what he had been through.
Both Bradley Cooper who played Kyle and Sienna Miller who played Taya were just plain amazing. Sometimes the brooding soldier and distracted wife can be over-acted to the point of distraction; not here. The scene where she was listening to the battle over the phone and the other one with him calling her from the rooftop - you forget you are watching actors.
Also, I felt that the beginning, with Kyle's dad teaching the boys to be sheepdogs and not be sheep or wolves, was laid out too quickly and seemed forced. They could have spent just just 5 minutes exanding the scene where his little brother gets beaten up; it happened so fast that the audience never had a chance to feel emotionally involved with what whas happening.
The brutality of "the butcher" was more implied than shown, but they showed enough for folks in the theater to audibly mumble..."no...no...no..." (and similar when he had to kill the kid with the grenade) Eastwood did a briliant job of communicating the anguish some of the kills put Kyle through and also making the badguys look, well...bad. Really bad.
There were audible sniffs and sobs during closing credits (not exactly a spoiler here), when they showed video of his procession and funeral. I think this was even more powerful because even though the scenes were shorter than I would have liked, it was made clear how much helping the vets meant to Chris, and how much it had helped him get through what he had been through.
Both Bradley Cooper who played Kyle and Sienna Miller who played Taya were just plain amazing. Sometimes the brooding soldier and distracted wife can be over-acted to the point of distraction; not here. The scene where she was listening to the battle over the phone and the other one with him calling her from the rooftop - you forget you are watching actors.
D
Deleted member 2517
Guest
It was very good. I will have to see it again before I could really judge it. It did feel a bit rushed, and some of the info was out of order (ie. Ryan Job being in BUD/S and coming up in the teams with Chief Kyle Vs Being the new guy, Marc Lee seemingly being depicted as an O, skipping his first actual deployment to Iraq during the initial invasion, making Chief in about 4 years were some of the things I noticed).
What I am comfortable saying is that Bradley Cooper earned his Oscar nomination. The likeness to Chief Kyle was eerie.
What I am comfortable saying is that Bradley Cooper earned his Oscar nomination. The likeness to Chief Kyle was eerie.
Good movie. It was clear that there was a SEAL advisor, but the Ranger's were pretty ate up with their tower of power (Ranger and airborne tab, with second batt scroll). Then again, it is second batt :-"
Watched it, they did a good enough job with it that it was Hollywood but bearable. Haven't read the book.
I'm hoping they took some liability with a few of those scenes to make it a better story though. Ringing your missus up on the satphone whilst your on the street with a round up the spout is pretty unprofessional.
I'm hoping they took some liability with a few of those scenes to make it a better story though. Ringing your missus up on the satphone whilst your on the street with a round up the spout is pretty unprofessional.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2009
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Fucking
Awesome
Movie.
Awesome
Movie.
jonron9937
Unverified
Awesome movie! Even my wife liked it, and she hates action/war movies. She is so blind to the evils of the world and after watching this she was just in shock. Thank you guys and gals again for the service and sacrafice to protect the country.
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