American Sniper

There were, for me, a couple of bad editing choices or, as you stated, abrupt changes. But I found that to be a minor distraction that did little to diminish the impact of Cooper's Oscar-worthy performance. I agree that there should have been more balance between the two "disjointed" worlds, or realities, to show the contrast in a more dynamic way.

Perhaps that is the reason why the film met with such criticism. My theory is that "we" are collectively tired of being bombarded by the same-o, same-o, war and violence and the constant threat to our shiny little world. But again, the main theme of the film was to show that even a mentally tough individual as Chris Kyle would crack under the constant pressure of fulfilling his tour of duty. Granted, his father's teachings and overall guidance could have been fleshed out more to present the audience with a more well-rounded peek into his psyche, but Eastwood chose a different path.

That's why, for me, there were great performances by both Cooper and Miller in a good solid movie, not a masterpiece.


SGG

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
Even if that was Eastwood's intent I still say it didn't work for me. There wasn't enough time spent on Kyle's life back stateside before it jumped back to the war zone. The transitions were just too abrupt.

---

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

I would love to sit down with Eastwood and have a conversation with him about the intent of this movie. But yes, it was disjointed, but I believe intentionally so. Now, mind you, I haven't read Kyle's book so I have no point of reference. But Eastwood did jump back and forth between stateside and war zone Chris, I too would have loved more development of his stateside persona and upbringing, so that's where the film falls short of greatness.

Flat acting from supporting characters: I didn't give it a second thought, but in the battle sequences, these guys are supposed to be your everyday average grunts - Eastwood is an old hand at getting the best from his actors - so I give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he directed his actors in that manner. He used the KISS method. By the way, Miller was pitch perfect in depicting her anguish and frustration over her husband's choices. That could have easily gone south.

And Cooper is quickly becoming a complete actor, and not just another pretty face.


SGG

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
To say that I "liked" American Sniper would be misleading. As a story, I think it did a very good job of depicting the emotional conflicts of serving in a war zone, as well as the alienation from reality that soldiers experience when they come home. However, I was not as impressed with it as a film. The pace was disjointed, and other than Cooper and Miller, the acting was flat and unconvincing.

---

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
I would love to sit down with Eastwood and have a conversation with him about the intent of this movie.

---

I will be blunt: American Sniper is American Liar. The details here and there.
www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/01/america
n_sniper_lawsuit_chris_kyle_told_lies_about_jesse_ventura.html
www.vox.com/2015/1/21/7641189/american-sniper-history

Saying the exact opposite of what I say is the truthful and sincere (Presidents don't deceive!) George W Bush, writing in the Memorial Edition of American Sniper. Believe him if he makes you feel good.

Quote:

---

Chris Kyle was and is a true American hero.

He was a hero because of the way he conducted himself in battle. Chris was that guy who always put the mission and his teammates above himself and his own safety. He did this out of instinct. Consequently he found himself acting, in the face of grave danger, more valorously than all but a few American soldiers in the great history of our nation. Chris’s legacy as a warrior lies not at the end of the rounds that he sent to the enemy, but in his uncanny courage to stand in front of those around him when the chips were down.

Chris Kyle is a hero because of the way he conducted himself after he completed his overseas battles. The hero that Chris was on the battlefield did not matter much after his role overseas was done. He, like many others in his generation, found it hard to leave that life—and especially his Teammates—behind. But, because of his uncanny instinct to protect others, and with the exceptional love and support from his wife, kids, parents, and brother, Chris was able to endure the challenge of transition.

It was only in the last year that Chris truly found his new calling: he put others above himself, standing with fellow veterans to help them deal with the struggles of returning home from war. He wanted to encourage kids with severe illness. He wanted to help local law enforcement officers make things better for their communities. All of these things make him a true hero, even today, as his legacy lives on.

Chris Kyle and his family sacrificed everything to make this country, the state of Texas, and their hometown a better place. The courage to face grave danger in order to help those around him was Chris’s greatest asset, and he turned it into a great calling. His family supported and endured that calling. Now, it is our turn. We must stand beside those around us to prove that the United States of America is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave. We must show the courage Chris showed in our communities, our own states, our own country.

---

I think George W Bush did an excellent job of mythologizing his fellow Texan, Chris Kyle. When read aloud it sounds exactly like a well-done speech at a funeral memorial. Hollywood and Clint Eastwood could not have done it better than Bush.

Just to ram my point in a little deeper, Clint Eastwood gave a speech at the Republican Presidential Convention, in case you forgot. I think Clint had a political agenda when he was making money making American Sniper, as Chris Kyle had a political agenda when he was making money writing American Sniper with his two co-writers, who were paid by the publisher, not by Chris Kyle, to do the actual writing. By the way, Bush did not write his eulogy for Chris Kyle, but his speechwriters, paid by US taxpayers from the office staff allowance for retired Presidents, wrote the eulogy.

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Oh, I'm fully aware that Bush lied, and that Eastwood made an ass of himself at the Republican Convention. Hell, he may be the most ultra-conservative, right wing bullshit artist this side of the Pecos......\

I'm looking at the film.

None of these guys are my heroes. Besides Hollywood itself is one big fat lie, and I'm pretty sure half of Congress and the Senate lied, cheated and stole their way to where they are.

Chris Kyle or Jesse Ventura.......I've heard of Ventura's claims and I'm well aware of how people embellish their accomplishments - O'Reilly and McDonald come to mind. I read the article regarding Ventura's lawsuit and the lie. Well then, that does it. None of Eastwood's direction, Cooper or Miller's acting, etc. counts because it was based on a lie. What!? Hollywood lies? No! What's the world coming to? American Sniper has a little under $70 million to go to get to a half billion in Worldwide Box office. Does that make it right? No, not by humane standards. But Hollywood is a money-making machine, pure and simple.

The moral of Kyle’s story, then: It pays to lie.

Is making money considered part of a political agenda? Perhaps for the Koch Brothers. Anyway, if lying and cheating and stealing are to be considered in filmmaking (in regards to enjoyment and reviews)..........then I would say that Hollywood is guilty, perhaps 95-99% of the time. Is American Sniper a pack of lies? Does that diminish or disqualify the efforts by the actors, cast and crew? Food for thought.

The controversy I was speaking of was the criticism that Eastwood had directed a movie glorifying war, and here you come criticizing Eastwood and Kyle for lies told in both book and film form. Granted. I submit I don't know enough about it to comment further, nor do I particularly care. There are more important things to care about on my plate. What I fail to understand about your point - Bush and Eastwood are assholes and Kyle is a liar so therefor American Sniper is ? - is what it has to do with my little observation regarding the glorification of war criticism of the film?


SGG

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Chris Kyle claimed he killed two carjackers at a gas station southwest of Dallas. Kyle claimed he shot dozens of looters in New Orleans from atop the Superdome. www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/06/03/in-the-crosshairs What was true? Chris Kyle was bodyguard for Sarah Palin. Kyle and Todd Palin were on Stars Earn Stripes, the "reality" show.

The unreality that shapes Texans like Chris Kyle takes many forms. In Texas is a mood in which the mind yields almost perforce to drift and in which the imagination holds unchecked sway, a mood in which nothing any more seems improbable save the puny inadequateness of fact, nothing incredible save the bareness of truth.

Another Texan repeatedly asserted that Saddam Hussein "really" had nuclear weapons and other programs about to be used to destroy America. That Texan lied right to your face. The war that followed was not a movie, but we all were forced to buy a ticket to pay for it. Now it "really" is a movie. Pay for it again, but this time the price is a thousand times cheaper. Buy a movie ticket to the second Iraq War.

(P.S. I watched a pirate copy of American Sniper. I did not pay Republican Clint Eastwood for his political party's promotional film that explained the "real" and "true" reasons for that war -- to protect America from another 9/11. That is the story Republicans want to sell you before the 2016 election. Keep America free and safe with Republican men like heroic Chris Kyle, Jeb Bush and Clint Eastwood. Remember: Freedom does not come for free. Brave Republicans must sacrifice themselves for YOU. Remember American Sniper when you vote for President.)

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:

Quote:

---

Originally posted by ecgordon:
Even if that was Eastwood's intent I still say it didn't work for me. There wasn't enough time spent on Kyle's life back stateside before it jumped back to the war zone. The transitions were just too abrupt.

---

There were, for me, a couple of bad editing choices or, as you stated, abrupt changes. But I found that to be a minor distraction that did little to diminish the impact of Cooper's Oscar-worthy performance. I agree that there should have been more balance between the two "disjointed" worlds, or realities, to show the contrast in a more dynamic way.

Perhaps that is the reason why the film met with such criticism. My theory is that "we" are collectively tired of being bombarded by the same-o, same-o, war and violence and the constant threat to our shiny little world. But again, the main theme of the film was to show that even a mentally tough individual as Chris Kyle would crack under the constant pressure of fulfilling his tour of duty. Granted, his father's teachings and overall guidance could have been fleshed out more to present the audience with a more well-rounded peek into his psyche, but Eastwood chose a different path.

That's why, for me, there were great performances by both Cooper and Miller in a good solid movie, not a masterpiece.


SGG

---

Getting back to the "abrupt" - how else would you think Eastwood should have empathetically depicted the abruptness and discontinuity which PTSD sufferers experience and suffer from?
I was pleased that it wasn't just spelled out on small words, or preached upon, but was presented in "interactive" style to all who were watching and paying attention (and I include all in this discussion as having paid attention).

Considering the overwhelming abundance of excellent composers Clint has used and had at his disposal to create mournful sound, I felt the silence was moving.

NOTIFY: Y  | REPLY  | REPLY WITH QUOTE  | PERMALINK  | TOP  | HOME