Oliver Stone

[Occhidiangela]

I was surprised, and moved, by the very human story told in Oliver Stone's latest film "World Trade Center." Given Stone's penchant for political message, it was a relief that this film was almost completely absent of that taint. It focuses on the human element of dealing with catastrophe.

The film presents chaos and misinformation during a disaster particularly well, IMO. It handles the issue of survival being tied to will to live, and the will to keep struggling. It covers gallows humor with a light touch. It addresses the challenges presented to the families of people who do dangerous stuff for a living.

World Trade Center is well worth seeing for a politics-free evening at cinema, and a good piece of story telling.

Occhi

[Doc]

Stone said there is most certainly a polital element in this, but is overshadowed by the human element.

I haven't seen it, and I don't know if I will.

Worth seeing?

[Munkay]

As far as the movie goes, personally the movie has come out too soon. Now, I'm not buying into this media frenzy (I've seen the story on Fox News, CNN and the local channel questioning if its too soon to release a movie about 9/11). Rather, on a very personal level I'm still unable to touch the subject matter. I watched about 25-30 seconds of the extended trailer before having to turn it off. It touches an emotional string still wound a bit too tight. I'm sure in time it'll wind down, but as long as I know troops in Afghanistan and Iraq who are serving the issue is still too touchy to sit through a feature film.

I'm glad to hear positive feedback, especially from you Occhi.

Worth seeing?

World Trade Center is well worth seeing...

Couldn't help myself from doing that;)

Cheers,

Munk

[Occhidiangela]

As far as the movie goes, personally the movie has come out too soon. Now, I'm not buying into this media frenzy (I've seen the story on Fox News, CNN and the local channel questioning if its too soon to release a movie about 9/11). Rather, on a very personal level I'm still unable to touch the subject matter. I watched about 25-30 seconds of the extended trailer before having to turn it off. It touches an emotional string still wound a bit too tight. I'm sure in time it'll wind down, but as long as I know troops in Afghanistan and Iraq who are serving the issue is still too touchy to sit through a feature film.

I'm glad to hear positive feedback, especially from you Occhi.
Couldn't help myself from doing that;)

Cheers,

Munk

Any political element of that film is extremely subdued. This is a story about New Yorkers. You never see the planes hit the building. You see the action from the perspective of people reacting to the unthinkable. There are some parts of the film where you see people watching TV, and I think Stone got the footage from the Networks to run. The juxtaposition of people in New York watching, on national TV what is happenind a few miles down the road is a neat observation on the media age.

Occhi

[kandrathe]

Any political element of that film is extremely subdued. This is a story about New Yorkers. You never see the planes hit the building. You see the action from the perspective of people reacting to the unthinkable. There are some parts of the film where you see people watching TV, and I think Stone got the footage from the Networks to run. The juxtaposition of people in New York watching, on national TV what is happenind a few miles down the road is a neat observation on the media age.

Occhi

Yeah, the wound is still a bit too fresh for me, and not quite healed. I remember getting ready for work that day when the first plane hit, and I heard it on CNN which was playing on the TV in my bedroom. I sat down on the bed listening and was wondering if it was an accident or intentional. Then the 2nd plane hit, captured on film and it was clearly intentional and I was pretty stunned by the implications. I realized while watching that the world changed at that moment. That we'd have to go get them at any cost, whoever and wherever they were hiding. Then I heard about Flight 77 crashing, and Barbara K. Olson's death and I was pretty sad since it was someone tangible that I "knew". I also knew it was a "Pearl Harbor" event.

However you feel about the war on Afghanistan and Iraq, I think justifications and motives will become clearer as evidence emerges that both actions were undertaken to curtail global terrorism.

Here is a hint of things to come. Al-Quds was a foreign force of Palestinians and Syrians attached to Fedayeen Sadaam Division with high level Iraqi leadership. It makes some sense that when the foot dragging of inspections ground on for half a year, Saddam took that opportunity to accept and train willing foreign jihadist volunteers for the upcoming conflict with the infidels. Interesting that Al-Quds leadership is talking about distribution of "American Leaflets" laced with Anthrax, which was one of the missing "proscribed items" UNSCOM was looking for. Now what is unfortunate is that the truth is over shadowed by US and UN mismanagement, and a totally blown public relations fiasco. Having a seemingly pro-jihadist press corps isn't helping our side either.

I heard an apropo quote tonight on the news (discussing the AP photographer's retouched fake photo's), "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes" -- Mark Twain.

[Occhidiangela]

Yeah, the wound is still a bit too fresh for me, and not quite healed. I remember getting ready for work that day when the first plane hit, and I heard it on CNN which was playing on the TV in my bedroom. I sat down on the bed listening and was wondering if it was an accident or intentional. Then the 2nd plane hit, captured on film and it was clearly intentional and I was pretty stunned by the implications. I realized while watching that the world changed at that moment. That we'd have to go get them at any cost, whoever and wherever they were hiding. Then I heard about Flight 77 crashing, and Barbara K. Olson's death and I was pretty sad since it was someone tangible that I "knew". I also knew it was a "Pearl Harbor" event.

However you feel about the war on Afghanistan and Iraq, I think justifications and motives will become clearer as evidence emerges that both actions were undertaken to curtail global terrorism.

Here is a hint of things to come. Al-Quds was a foreign force of Palestinians and Syrians attached to Fedayeen Sadaam Division with high level Iraqi leadership. It makes some sense that when the foot dragging of inspections ground on for half a year, Saddam took that opportunity to accept and train willing foreign jihadist volunteers for the upcoming conflict with the infidels. Interesting that Al-Quds leadership is talking about distribution of "American Leaflets" laced with Anthrax, which was one of the missing "proscribed items" UNSCOM was looking for. Now what is unfortunate is that the truth is over shadowed by US and UN mismanagement, and a totally blown public relations fiasco. Having a seemingly pro-jihadist press corps isn't helping our side either.

I heard an apropo quote tonight on the news (discussing the AP photographer's retouched fake photo's), "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes" -- Mark Twain.

I was kind of hoping we wouldn't turn in this direction while discussing the movie, which is about the people who handled a catastrophic event.

The film "Flight 93" is not yet on my "to see" list.

Occhi

[kandrathe]

I was kind of hoping we wouldn't turn in this direction while discussing the movie, which is about the people who handled a catastrophic event.

The film "Flight 93" is not yet on my "to see" list.

Occhi

Yup, I understand. But it's an ages old story. Attack ==> Anger ==> Response. I haven't seen and am not drawn to these re-enactment type films. I look to film mostly for entertainment, so while a documentary about Auchwitz might be informative...

[Lissa]

I was surprised, and moved, by the very human story told in Oliver Stone's latest film "World Trade Center." Given Stone's penchant for political message, it was a relief that this film was almost completely absent of that taint. It focuses on the human element of dealing with catastrophe.

The film presents chaos and misinformation during a disaster particularly well, IMO. It handles the issue of survival being tied to will to live, and the will to keep struggling. It covers gallows humor with a light touch. It addresses the challenges presented to the families of people who do dangerous stuff for a living.

World Trade Center is well worth seeing for a politics-free evening at cinema, and a good piece of story telling.

Occhi

Interesting article about one of the two Marines portraited in the movie: Hero Found

[Occhidiangela]

Interesting article about one of the two Marines portraited in the movie: Hero Found

Yet another reason for my deep affection toward Marines.

Where do we get such men?

Occhi