Zero Dark Thirty

[Totenkindly]

To be honest, I wasn't expect much from this movie, so I'm kind of shocked to see the kind of reviews it has been getting (extremely EXTREMELY positive and referring to it as an Oscar contender based on its unflinching, non-candy-coated approach).

For example:
http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie...s-unflinching-look-mission-bin-223435476.html

...director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal don't shy away from depicting the "enhanced interrogation" techniques like waterboarding that were used along the way. "The new movie is not for the faint of heart or for those expecting typical Hollywood fare," is how The New York Times put it. And it's not just for the clear-eyed depiction of torture, but also what The Hollywood Reporter describes as "its denial of conventional emotionalism and non-gung ho approach to cathartic revenge-taking."...


...director Kathryn Bigelow and writer Mark Boal don't shy away from depicting the "enhanced interrogation" techniques like waterboarding that were used along the way. "The new movie is not for the faint of heart or for those expecting typical Hollywood fare," is how The New York Times put it. And it's not just for the clear-eyed depiction of torture, but also what The Hollywood Reporter describes as "its denial of conventional emotionalism and non-gung ho approach to cathartic revenge-taking."

Bigelow originally was with James Cameron, and she shot Strange Days off her ex-husband's script (which I considered a decent gritty scifi movie, with Ralph Fiennes playing a non-admirable character and the gutsy Angela Bassett). She's been doing films for years and apparently scored big with The Hurt Locker recently (which I hope to see at some point).

Considering we know how it ends, it's hard sometimes to make that kind of movie work; but as with Argo (which also lived up to hype), apparently the initial rave about this film is pretty intense.

 

[Pseudo]

Saw the trailer for this a couple times. Don't know how I feel about it. Part of me just thinks "certain things shouldn't be movies" but I don't know why. Or at least give it some time.


But I like that Andy from parks and Rex is in it. Don't think I'll see it

 

[The Ü™]

Kathryn Bigelow is not bad for a woman director, usually when a woman directs a movie like this it turns out to be some sappy Lifetime movie-of-the-week with the film's major selling point being but a footnote (just look at Deep Impact and then look at how Armageddon, which came out a few months later, got the idea right). But frankly, I lost interest in this movie when the trailer was constantly shown at every single movie I've been to ever since ZDT was on the map. I don't have any interest in it not because I know how it ends -- we know how lots of movies end but what's interesting is how it gets that way...most of the time when I read a book, I start at the end of the story for the same reason.

And I don't buy the NYT's (or any critic for that matter) assessment about the "clear-eyed depiction of torture." Whenever stuff like that is espoused in a critic's darling, it ends up not being the kind of thing you'd see in a movie like Saw or Hostel. When ever the critics talk about "torture" in a "violent" movie they love, the only torture I experience is how insufferably boring the movie is.

Might wait for this one to show up at Redbox, though.

 

[swordpath]

Looking forward to this very much.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

I'm going to see this when it comes out. I am a fan of Bigelow as a director--every one of her movies is fascinating in its own way. I'm also interested in watching how they approach this story and where they go with it.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

Currently 100% at Rotten Tomatoes...

 

[Totenkindly]

Currently 100% at Rotten Tomatoes...

Yeah, it's been making the top ten lists of (it seems) every notable critic group releasing awards nowadays.

 

[Giggly]

Oh man, I am SOOO excited and anxious to see this. Not so much for Bigelow but I'm excited about seeing the SEALs and the featured female CIA analyst who was behind it all. Been counting down the days for a month. I can't wait!!!!

 

[Giggly]

I also want to add that, even though I'm nosey and want to see it, I ultimately feel that this movie should NOT have been made. There has been too much talk and media press about the SEALs. All this attention is putting their lives in danger. I wish all the attention would die down and quick.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Stoked to see it.

I'll be interested to see her depiction of water boarding.

I've heard it's stupidly effective given the amount of permanent damage inflicted relative to other forms of torture.

 

[Giggly]

Stoked to see it.

I'll be interested to see her depiction of water boarding.

I've heard it's stupidly effective given the amount of permanent damage inflicted relative to other forms of torture.

Think they'll show that? Somehow I think they won't.

I know the SEALs are trained to withstand waterboarding.

Also, if anyone has Netflix, I recommend watching this, if you're into this. I saw it and it was surprisingly good.

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Seal_Team_Six_The_Raid_on_Osama_Bin_Laden/70260512?trkid=496624

 

[swordpath]

I believe there are torture sequences in it.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Think they'll show that? Somehow I think they won't.

I know the SEALs are trained to withstand waterboarding.

I've heard they show it in an "unflinching" manner (which I'm a big fan of given our country's tendency to want to gloss over the dirty details).

The SEAL's are trained to resist torture and interrogation in their SERE (sic?) training.

However from the accounts I've read, water boarding does an excellent job of bypassing any conditioned resistance in the subject. I think this is supposed to have something to do with how biologically ingrained our fear of drowning is.

Either way, I'm curious to see water boarding in its proper context (ie in an active war zone with strategically valuable [and actionable] intelligence at stake).

 

[Giggly]

Yes, I heard that SEALs and pilots do some training with waterboarding.

RIP- Nicolas Checque

 

[Totenkindly]

I've heard they show it in an "unflinching" manner (which I'm a big fan of given our country's tendency to want to gloss over the dirty details).

overall, I agree with you there. i think the moratorium on not showing coffins is pretty lame, for example.

I'm not about inundating the news unexpectedly with nothing but graphic imagery; however, I think we really need to be able to experience the results (good and bad) of what our actions are over there, and if we can't handle it, then we should stop.

 

[Poindexter Arachnid]

Reviews have mentioned ZDT opens with an extended waterboarding sequence

I wish I owned Medal of Honor: Warfighter right about now.
I wanna raid Bin Laden's compound with my online gaming buddies.

[MENTION=4398]Giggly[/MENTION]--Poor taste, indeed.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

I'm not about inundating the news unexpectedly with nothing but graphic imagery;

Absolutely. No one wants that.

however, I think we really need to be able to experience the results (good and bad) of what our actions are over there, and if we can't handle it, then we should stop.

Certainly.

The rub however... is deciding what we can handle.

Or more specifically, how to reconcile the information gap, (i.e. the gov'ts access to classified info re: active intelligence operations etc.. that the general public is unaware of) between the gov't and the public.

Most important I think, is determining how to suss out the extent to which the gov't uses classification as an excuse to cover up morally or financially questionable actions.

 

[Giggly]

Giggly--Poor taste, indeed.

Pfft.

 

[swordpath]

Yes, I heard that SEALs and pilots do some training with waterboarding.

I haven't heard of that, but it wouldn't surprise me. It's not too hard to demonstrate.

 

[WALMART]

Should be a good movie.


On the subject of torture, I don't know how I feel about it.