film, flags and only minor flaws ~

[lookingland]

watched eastwood's Flags of our Fathers and liked it. good story, nicely put together, and a nicely anonymous cast for the most part, though barry pepper in fatigues is starting to get to be a bit much for me (not that there's anything wrong with him, i just don't think i have ever seen him wearing anything else, ever). i'm really looking forward to seeing Letters from Iwo Jima when it comes out in may (which i have heard is even better).

i think the ending on this one drags on a little bit (and is a tad redundant) ~ eastwood prolly could have shaved off enough of it to bring it in closer to the 2-hour mark. but i will say this: that scene where they go into the cave to see what the Japanese have done to Iggy seals in my mind that clint eastwood really knows what he's doing as a filmmaker and is easily up there among the other greats. it's an amazing moment ~ best in the whole movie and certainly one of the most powerful shots i've seen in a film.

so, thumbs up in spite of a bit of drag. very anxious to see the sequel ~

Comments

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

I went to school with Barry Pepper (my one and only claim to fame). He starred in an excellent Canadian indie film a couple of years ago called "The Snow Walker", sans fatigues. I imagine you might have trouble finding it, but I highly recommend it. It has Inuits, but no were-seals....:)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

i have seen it ~ ! oh course! he wasn't wearing fatigues in that one. great little film, though sad.

sheesh, my mind is slipping.

at least you knew him, i only know people who know people. hahahahaha ~

p.s. i am culling 19th century engravings of inuits and walruses and other blubbery things.

: D

[bachsoprano.livejournal.com]

at least you knew him, i only know people who know people. hahahahaha ~

Not that he'd *ever* remember me. It's always a little odd to see people I know on television or the silver screen, especially when I remember them as a volleyball playing, beer drinking goofy kind of guy....

p.s. i am culling 19th century engravings of inuits and walruses and other blubbery things.

Ooooo! Does that mean you're going ahead with the story? :D

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

Ooooo! Does that mean you're going ahead with the story?

possibly ~ depends on my engraving findings. i've got a project in mind, though it might be infamously silly (along the lines of wondermark.

[cathellisen.livejournal.com]

Well at least your famous people are google-able (is that even a word?). SA musos tend not to rank high on the google hits. :P

[seraphimsigrist.livejournal.com]

I hope it is essentially proAmerican?
The publicity rather played up the
cheapness and mendacity of the use of
the heros but the event was honorable
and necessary...
+S

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

i think it's anti-the commodifying of people and journalistic spin, but deeply pro-American (or at least the ideal of America). i think it tries to tell a very hard story about people who understand honor and necessity, but wished they hadn't been the ones picked to fill the shoes.

it mostly succeeds, i think. it's definitely flawed but a strong effort ~ and honest, i think, which is important.

[cathellisen.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm scared every time I see Mr Eastwood on the telly - he looks so frail. I keep thinking he's going to drop dead right there. It makes me realise how quickly the years are going, The Dirty Harry stuff doesn't seem *that* long ago, and yet thye are.

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

he does seem to have aged a whole lot in the last decade ~ but he's doing fantastic work and his health seems okay (he's thin, but i haven't thought he was "frail" per se).

i want him to live forever. i know i'll cry when he dies.

: o p

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

I had been wanting to see this one... thanks for the review. :-)

[lookingland.livejournal.com]

two thumbs up ~ jo bob says check it out.

: D

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

Well if Jo Bob says to do it, then I'm right on it.