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Charlie Wilson's War

HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
edited December 2007 in Debate and/or Discourse
Why is there no thread for this movie yet?

It's a humorous, enlightening, and ultimately terrifying film about the ineptitude of Congress and foreign policy in the 1980s (emphasis: Afghanistan). Great performances all around and a shocking amount of nudity/sexuality for something involving Tom Hanks; there are also references abound to political figures still active today. Go see it.

My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
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    VariableVariable Mouth Congress Stroke Me Lady FameRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    this looked phenomenal. I didn't realize it was out. hopefully I get to it before it's out of theatres.

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    ShintoShinto __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2007
    I would not have expected so many boobs in a Tom Hanks movie.

    I really fucking loved Philip Seymour Hoffman in this. Glorious.

    Shinto on
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    LondonBridgeLondonBridge __BANNED USERS regular
    edited December 2007
    Shinto wrote: »
    I would not have expected so many boobs in a Tom Hanks movie.

    O RLY?

    bachelorparty.jpg

    LondonBridge on
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    KrunkMcGrunkKrunkMcGrunk Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I saw this movie with my family last Friday. It was decent. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was great. He was my favorite character in the movie, by far.

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    There were boobs in the first five minutes of the movie. That was it. Nothing really shocking or obscene.

    KrunkMcGrunk on
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    emnmnmeemnmnme Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    "Hey, MISTER WIIIILSON!"

    The review on movies.com pointed out that most of the characters in this movie are still alive. The reviewer thinks punches were pulled because of that and the movie ended up duller than it should have been.

    emnmnme on
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    ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2007
    Shinto wrote: »
    I really fucking loved Philip Seymour Hoffman in this. Glorious.

    I'm becoming a big fan of Hoffman, even though this is just the 2nd of his movies that I've seen (Capote was the first).

    The theatre was sadly empty in the showing I went to. Kinda like this thread.

    Elki on
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    ClevingerClevinger Registered User regular
    edited December 2007

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    Aaron Sorkin wrote it, so that's not surprising. Dude tries way too hard.

    Clevinger on
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    flamebroiledchickenflamebroiledchicken Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    It was well made, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman was phenomenal as always, but it was a little too "America, yay!" for my tastes.

    flamebroiledchicken on
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    KrunkMcGrunkKrunkMcGrunk Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Clevinger wrote: »

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    Aaron Sorkin wrote it, so that's not surprising. Dude tries way too hard.

    Yeah, that's an afterthought that I had after writing my post. This movie smacks heavily of Aaron Sorkin's writing style, and I don't know that it really helps a whole lot.

    It plays out a lot like a longer episode of the West Wing, except the actors actually speak at an acceptable pace, rather than at the pace of an auctioneer.

    KrunkMcGrunk on
    mrsatansig.png
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    HacksawHacksaw J. Duggan Esq. Wrestler at LawRegistered User regular
    edited December 2007
    I loved this movie. Hoffman was fucking brilliant.

    Hacksaw on
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    sdrawkcaB emaNsdrawkcaB emaN regular
    edited December 2007
    Clevinger wrote: »

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    Aaron Sorkin wrote it, so that's not surprising. Dude tries way too hard.

    Yeah, that's an afterthought that I had after writing my post. This movie smacks heavily of Aaron Sorkin's writing style, and I don't know that it really helps a whole lot.

    It plays out a lot like a longer episode of the West Wing, except the actors actually speak at an acceptable pace, rather than at the pace of an auctioneer.

    I’m with the two of you -- it came off almost precious at times.

    The thing that makes Sorkin’s writing work is that it’s biting (when it’s good, anyway). That’s why I love the West Wing, and this movie really seemed to lack that ascerbic tone that carries a Sorkin script.

    But overall enjoyable with a great performance from Hoffman, and a nice reprieve from movies like No Country, There Will Be Blood, Persepolis, and so forth.

    sdrawkcaB emaN on
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    HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    it was a little too "America, yay!" for my tastes.

    O_o

    Did we watch the same movie?

    Not only is there a ton of rather ruthless satire of the US Government, but the entire point of the movie was how badly we fucked up that country by refusing to participate in domestic nation rebuilding (instead basically handing a nation of 14 year olds a massive arsenal without an economy or educational system to fall back on).

    Heartlash on
    My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
    Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
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    whitey9whitey9 Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Clevinger wrote: »

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    Aaron Sorkin wrote it, so that's not surprising. Dude tries way too hard.

    Oh jesus christ, Sorkin had his grubby little fingers in this? Pass. As much as I love Hanks and Seymor-Hoffman, I fucking hate Sorkin and Julia Robert's one character that she always plays.

    whitey9 on
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    HeartlashHeartlash Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    whitey9 wrote: »
    Julia Robert's one character that she always plays.

    I hate that character too, but I was pleasantly surprised by how tolerable she was as a right wing Texas millionaire in this.

    Heartlash on
    My indie mobile gaming studio: Elder Aeons
    Our first game is now available for free on Google Play: Frontier: Isle of the Seven Gods
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    KrunkMcGrunkKrunkMcGrunk Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    suilimeA wrote: »
    Clevinger wrote: »

    The only complaint about the movie is that it seemed a bit too cutesy at times. Like they really turned up the witty-hollywood-charm to 11. At times it added to the movie, at other times it really detracted.

    Aaron Sorkin wrote it, so that's not surprising. Dude tries way too hard.

    Yeah, that's an afterthought that I had after writing my post. This movie smacks heavily of Aaron Sorkin's writing style, and I don't know that it really helps a whole lot.

    It plays out a lot like a longer episode of the West Wing, except the actors actually speak at an acceptable pace, rather than at the pace of an auctioneer.

    I’m with the two of you -- it came off almost precious at times.

    The thing that makes Sorkin’s writing work is that it’s biting (when it’s good, anyway). That’s why I love the West Wing, and this movie really seemed to lack that ascerbic tone that carries a Sorkin script.

    But overall enjoyable with a great performance from Hoffman, and a nice reprieve from movies like No Country, There Will Be Blood, Persepolis, and so forth.

    I felt that same way, in that the movie was a nice change of tone from the others that I've seen lately. It wasn't a bad movie by any means, just not great.

    As far as the acting goes, Tom Hanks does the same-old, same-old. He plays a tough, but charming alpha male that gets pulled into a rough situation. Jula Roberts wasn't bad. Her makeup was a bit scary though. But I suppose that was just her character.

    Phillip Seymour Hoffman was definitely the best, in my opinion.

    KrunkMcGrunk on
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    flamebroiledchickenflamebroiledchicken Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Heartlash wrote: »
    it was a little too "America, yay!" for my tastes.

    O_o

    Did we watch the same movie?

    Not only is there a ton of rather ruthless satire of the US Government, but the entire point of the movie was how badly we fucked up that country by refusing to participate in domestic nation rebuilding (instead basically handing a nation of 14 year olds a massive arsenal without an economy or educational system to fall back on).

    There was some criticism, but the overall message seemed to be "This AMAZING AMERICAN congressman did this AWESOME SECRET thing and SINGLEHANDEDLY ended the Cold War!"

    Sure, if you leave out the Soviets building schools and hospitals in Afghanistan, the Mujahideen using their new weapons on their own people and blaming the Soviets to make the threat look worse than it was, and the fact that the collapse of the Soviet Union had fuck all to do with Charlie Wilson.

    flamebroiledchicken on
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    Kipling217Kipling217 Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    Elki wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    I really fucking loved Philip Seymour Hoffman in this. Glorious.

    I'm becoming a big fan of Hoffman, even though this is just the 2nd of his movies that I've seen (Capote was the first).

    The theatre was sadly empty in the showing I went to. Kinda like this thread.

    Dude, you probably seen him way more than 2 times. Guy's been in lots of great movies. Usually in the good parts.

    Kipling217 on
    The sky was full of stars, every star an exploding ship. One of ours.
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    PlutocracyPlutocracy regular
    edited December 2007
    Kipling217 wrote: »
    Elki wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    I really fucking loved Philip Seymour Hoffman in this. Glorious.

    I'm becoming a big fan of Hoffman, even though this is just the 2nd of his movies that I've seen (Capote was the first).

    The theatre was sadly empty in the showing I went to. Kinda like this thread.

    Dude, you probably seen him way more than 2 times. Guy's been in lots of great movies. Usually in the good parts.

    Whatever your opinion of Magnolia may be, Hoffy did good. Same with Punch-Drunk Love.

    Plutocracy on
    They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
    They may not mean to, but they do.
    They fill you with the faults they had
    And add some extra, just for you.
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    ElkiElki get busy Moderator, ClubPA mod
    edited December 2007
    Plutocracy wrote: »
    Kipling217 wrote: »
    Elki wrote: »
    Shinto wrote: »
    I really fucking loved Philip Seymour Hoffman in this. Glorious.

    I'm becoming a big fan of Hoffman, even though this is just the 2nd of his movies that I've seen (Capote was the first).

    The theatre was sadly empty in the showing I went to. Kinda like this thread.

    Dude, you probably seen him way more than 2 times. Guy's been in lots of great movies. Usually in the good parts.

    Whatever your opinion of Magnolia may be, Hoffy did good. Same with Punch-Drunk Love.

    I looked through wikipedia to see what I've missed. The total is now 4 (adding the Big Lebowski, and MI3).

    Elki on
    smCQ5WE.jpg
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    KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    When the first helicopter got shot down, all i could think was, "It's super effective!"

    I enjoyed the movie.

    KalTorak on
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    SceptreSceptre Registered User regular
    edited December 2007
    KalTorak wrote: »
    When the first helicopter got shot down, all i could think was, "It's super effective!"

    I enjoyed the movie.

    That was quite possibly my favorite scene in the movie.

    It was so enjoyable watching the afghans realise they could fight back.

    Sceptre on
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