American Sniper
 

Just returned from watching American Sniper at the theatre.
Quite a rivetting and powerful film based on the true life story of Navy Seal Chris Kyle.
Clint Eastwood hit the nail on the head with this film adapted from the book
of the same name.
I give it a two thumbs up and would recommend that you go see it.

agree: just back from the movie, and 'enjoyed' it greatly.

Mike

Read the book last year, and will be interested to see it brought to screen

Sniper
 

I have seen the promos etc.
Looks to be a powerful film. I'll wait until DVD.
I am made of soft malleable material and don't think I want to see it in a crowd environment.
We did, however, go and see "The Water Diviner". Not sure if it is being shown overseas, but it was a good flik set during and shortly after WWI. See it if you can.
:cheers:

Howard, a powerful film indeed.
My preference on these ones is the big screen, surround sound experience.
Not quite the same at home on DVD unless you've got a great entertainment system.
Saving Private Ryan, Fury, etc on big screen really give you the "in action experience"

I saw the premier screening of Platoon on a cheap Tuesday on opening day. One place I worked had an auditorium and an early digital projector. The guys used to sign out the keys on the weekends and watch the airbridge and jump scenes from A Bridge Too Far. When I had a chance I went (alone) to see Zero Dark Thirty. Lots of echoes to AFG in the cheap furniture, stationary, plywood offices and intelligence banter. Never got into any heliborne gunfights with senior AQT leadership, so I can't speak to any authenticity there.

Fury was released here in Aus today on DVD, and it wasn't until I watched it through a second time that I saw at least one MLU'ers name right there in the credits, and possibly a second. :salute: :thup:

And the Oscar for best Website Community in Supporting Role to Major Cinematic Epic goes to ..........

Saw American Sniper...also read the book...Eastwood did a great job, I think Bradley Cooper is awesome, despite the animatronic baby...It is the strange cult of personality that surrounds Chris Kyle that I still find disturbing. Equally disturbing is Eastwood's decision to steer clear of the many and documented controversies.

Kyle had stated:

1. He had been the victim of an attempted car jacking in Texas post-war, but instead of relinquishing his vehicle he shot both assailants dead in highway truck stop, when the police arrived, Kyle provided a phone number to them to call. The person on the other end told the police that Kyle was basically "off limits" and "hero"...the police returned his weapon and let him go on the spot...

Unfortunately the incident never took place, both the New Yorker and Vanity Fair magazine canvassed the state of Texas including all the law enforcement agencies who could have possibly been involved...no police statements, no witnesses, no gas station surveillance video, no bodies

2. Kyle said himself and another Navy Seal were dispatched to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Kyle claimed that he personally had shot and killed over 30 American civilians from a rooftop in order to restore order

When asked about this by investigators, the military said emphatically "NO" navy seals had been sent to New Orleans and the story of the murder of 30 US citizens..."defied imagination"

3. Kyle stated and wrote in his book that he had "punched out" former Minnesota governor and ex-UDT Diver, Jesse Ventura for talking ill of the Seals and the war in Iraq. He repeated this claim on his book tour...

except this too was proven in a court of law to be a lie. Ventura won a 1.8 million dollar defamation suit against Kyle, who's own deposition was wrought full of lies, inconsistencies and factual errors

Great movie in the vein of entertainment, but the fact that they were too scared or too blinded by some type of jingoistic bend to make the war in Iraq into some type of noble crusade, they failed to portray the man, who was obviously a deeply flawed person well before he became an "American Sniper". Now that he is dead, his legend becomes untouchable and any attempt to get to the truth becomes and attack on patriotism.

One thumb up for great filmaking in the vein of Rambo...One thumb WAY down for honesty

Caved
 

Just to let you know, I caved and braved.
We went and saw American Sniper, and all of us agree that it was an excellent film.
Not too political, not too "US saves the World Again", not at all soft & fuzzy... I recommend it to all that I have spoken to.
H :salute: