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Black Hawk Down
This is one of the most astounding war films I've ever seen. The sound, music and cinematography are just indescribably excellent.
That said -- Orlando Bloom as usual can't really act, but is well cast. And Ewan McGregor's American accent is a wobbly mess. For the second time this year (Troy being the other), I'm like "woah... Eric Bana with the screen presence". And Jason Isaacs, once you get past how disconcerting his southern accent is (it's actually very good, but it's just weird when you're used to him as the evil British guy) -- just exactly what he needs to be in this and it's all in his eyes. Really excellent -- but this is so not an actor's film, at least in a way you can focus on, that the performances are sort of incidental to that fact that you kinda have to respect all the actors for signing up for what was obviously a gruelling nightmare of a shoot.
Why am I reviewing this mid-film? Because I'm someone who _likes_ war movies, and who likes gritty, realistic, grisley, depressing war movies. And I'm still having to hit pause on this every twenty minutes so I can pace around and try to get my heart rate down.
I can't even imagine what this must have been like in the theaters.
This is like when I tell you all to read the business section of the New York Times cover to cover every day for a month, but people, rent this movie, even if it's the only one you do rent this year. Especially this year. Fuck.
That said -- Orlando Bloom as usual can't really act, but is well cast. And Ewan McGregor's American accent is a wobbly mess. For the second time this year (Troy being the other), I'm like "woah... Eric Bana with the screen presence". And Jason Isaacs, once you get past how disconcerting his southern accent is (it's actually very good, but it's just weird when you're used to him as the evil British guy) -- just exactly what he needs to be in this and it's all in his eyes. Really excellent -- but this is so not an actor's film, at least in a way you can focus on, that the performances are sort of incidental to that fact that you kinda have to respect all the actors for signing up for what was obviously a gruelling nightmare of a shoot.
Why am I reviewing this mid-film? Because I'm someone who _likes_ war movies, and who likes gritty, realistic, grisley, depressing war movies. And I'm still having to hit pause on this every twenty minutes so I can pace around and try to get my heart rate down.
I can't even imagine what this must have been like in the theaters.
This is like when I tell you all to read the business section of the New York Times cover to cover every day for a month, but people, rent this movie, even if it's the only one you do rent this year. Especially this year. Fuck.
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Being a Joe Strummer fan - hell, he's kind of an idol - his cover of "Minstrel Boy" just on its own made me cry, especially since I didn't hear it until right after he died.
I'd rent this one if I could. Damnit, I've got to get a working DVD player, this is intolerable.
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Did people even go see this in the theaters? I remember it was on my list, but not so much that I didn't manage to get distracted by something else.
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Yep (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blackhawkdown.htm). But much moreso in the USA than elsewhere - a 63/37% domestic/foreign revenue split is very skewed for a marketable-as-action movie.
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It really got me upset. I can relate to the stopping and waiting for the pulse to relax. It's been long enough now I don't recall specifics, but I do remember I found it difficult to recognize a few actors early because of the haircuts and camo!
I guess I find it easy to get drawn into movies who do a good job of making you feel 'right there.'
But I didn't see this one on the big screen...it was a loaner I watched on my own TV.
However, I do recall suddenly barking at a soldier during Private Ryan (the one whose helmet got hit he took it off to examine it, subsequently the next shot him in the same spot sans helmet) and that's something I pretty much never do.
I was in the theater when Platoon came out, and remember hearing someone else do the same. I can only suspect similar things happened watching Apocolypse Now.
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