Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

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  • Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

    Nam had "in the sh*t". Gulf War I Iraq had "the suck". Well, this boring war movie of hurry up and wait, and wait, and wait on the action might be pleasing to the purists (if you're a U.S. Marine who went to sniper training or something), but for those looking for some battle and blood, this ain't the movie for you. Sam Mendes certainly gives a nice look and feel to his movie, but William Broyles, Jr.'s script (an ex Marine) meanders throughout where you don't know what the story is all about.

    And we've seen it all before. Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket" boot camp which scared more dudes to join the Army versus going to Paris Island for any reason. And there's the darkness comparions to "Apocalypse Now". And finally, we saw the Marine platoons, companies, and battalions all waiting in the sand and heat waiting to go on CNN. Looks like the same buring Kuwaiti oil wells.

    So, if watching Marines go nuts waiting to go and then when they go there's nothing really there to shoot. Go for it. OOOORAH!

  • #2
    Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

    You didn't like it????



    It must be good. I'll see it this week.

    This isn't the Howard Johnson's.

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    • #3
      Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

      you want battle and blood, authorized, I can link you to a few disturbing real-life clips from your current war in Iraq

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      • #4
        Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

        I saw it last night and enjoyed it. One of the better movies I saw this year.

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        • #5
          Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

          how did jamie foxx do? how did jake gyllenhaal do?
          "Making movies is a collaborative process...bend over."

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          • #6
            Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

            I was looking forward to seeing this.

            Now I'm really looking forward to seeing this.
            http://confoundedfilms.com

            http://www.myspace.com/confoundedfilms

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            • #7
              Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

              I was looking forward to seeing this until I started reading some reviews which claimed there's no action.

              One critic said, "Beautiful tedium is still tedium."

              Hell, even Apocalypse Now and The Thin Red Line had the occasional action scene squeezed in between talking heads, pontificating about the morality and repercussions of war.

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              • #8
                Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                I enjoyed it but I didnt go in looking for an action movie.

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                • #9
                  Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                  You have to understand, this movie is NOT a war movie.

                  It's more of a coming of age story of young soldiers in situations we can only imagine. It may seem tedious. But its about the characters.

                  The movie was brilliantly acted/directed and the cinematography was beautiful.

                  This movie was surreal and it makes you wonder about what young minds are being molded in the war today.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                    Thought it was okay, expected more since I am a Mendes fan. Thought it seemed really long, which is never a good sign. Re: actors Jamie Fox and Jake Gylenhaal - they were both excellent as was the rest of the cast in my opinion.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                      You can complain all you want over the fact that there is very little actual fighting in this movie, but that's the whole point of the story. This one man going through the mental and physical pain of going to Iraq can't stand that he's not able to do his job and shoot somebody. It's a very small idea in a very large setting. It's what sets this movie apart from other war movies -- hardly a thing to complain about.

                      Sure, some of it has been done before. The drill sargeant has been done in Full Metal Jacket. But what's the alternative? Have you ever seen a drill sargeant having tea and crumpets with the brigade? There's a bit of Three Kings in this movie as well. But it doesn't take away from the subject of the movie and the beautiful cinematography and editing. This is a film that has moved through the hands of filmmaking masters. Sam Mendes indeed goes three for three and joins those ranks.

                      Gyllenhaal was good, although I'm not a huge fan. Jamie Foxx is simply fantastic. He should see another nomination this year.

                      And I love how the movie doesn't sway left or right until the final line of the movie, which has a fantastic double entendre.

                      Ele...

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                      • #12
                        Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                        Mendes is a great director. I like all the actors and the photography was exceptional. But it was missing something to get me completely involved.
                        I went into it knowing what it was about (nothing), but it was boring. I did like the fact that it was a different type of war movie (soldiers waiting around to fight, but don't). It just needed something more.
                        Not great, nor was it bad. It was average IMO and a bit of a disappointment.

                        This isn't the Howard Johnson's.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                          Originally posted by elephant1978
                          And I love how the movie doesn't sway left or right until the final line of the movie, which has a fantastic double entendre.
                          What was the last line of the movie? In the theater where I saw it, some wiseguy in the audience shouted "Bush sucks" or something as the credits rolled, and that's all I can remember. (I'm not political, but why does it seem like so many left-leaners assume everyone around them shares their opinions and would like to hear them vocalized at any and all times? Do I just miss the right-leaners doing this? Oh, right, I live in LA, there aren't any right-leaners to speak of.)

                          Anyway, I liked the fact that it wasn't a typical war movie. It seemed more honest than a typical war movie. There was no enemy to speak of (none that we really saw, anyway). It was mostly man against himself. And I was into these characters.

                          There wasn't a huge amount of story, it's true. But, you know, that was refreshing for a movie set in a war. Because it's usually "us" against your standard evil foreigners. And that gets tiresome.
                          "Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.-
                          ― Ray Bradbury

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                          • #14
                            Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                            The last line was "...and we're still in the desert." Which was a subtle nod to Dubya's current escapades in Iraq. Sorta like we're still fighting the same war. Those same Jarheads are still waiting to get this thing over with. But, it's a double entendre. So it's non-partisan essentially.

                            Ele...

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                            • #15
                              Re: Jarhead - Welcome To (It) S*cks!

                              I really enjoyed this. It was a character drama set on the backdrop of a war -- not a "war movie." Sam Mendes is one of my favorite directors. He has such a classic style and doesn't seem to be influenced by the "music video" stylistic leanings of present day.

                              One question for the peanut gallery:

                              ***SPOILERS***







                              In the ending montage, when we see Troy (Peter Sarsgaard) dead, do you think he died due to:
                              (a) KIA during Iraqi Freedom
                              (b) Gulf War Syndrome (they sort of set this up with the pill-popping scene)
                              (c) An unrelated matter

                              ?

                              I sort of realized I had mentally tuned out a bit during that closing sequence and was wondering if I missed something or if they left it open-ended.
                              Reaction time is a factor, so please pay attention.

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