It does more interesting things than I ever expected (mainly because of the lead actress' surprisingly not-awful character development and what it's saying about her pregnancy) but christ almighty is this thing terribly directed.
Intensely unbalanced, misjudged, hypermasculine bullshit. Tries REALLY hard to be Saving Private Ryan and emulate its points about the lack of humanity in war, without actually understanding that that film's graphic nature wasn't meant to inspire an us-against-"them" xenophobic shoot 'em up. Lerman's character
(who like Damon in SPR, is the rookie everyone else acts like they hate and is the only one who survives at the end)
starts off showing intense pacifism, and by the last act turns into the most bloodthirsty of all; and his pacifism was never about thinking about the German soldiers as actual people, just that he didn't want to kill, because it was only about *him* in that regard. You can *tell* the attempted point being made about war turning good men into animals, but then they decide to show hundreds of Germans' heads exploding with total glee and satisfaction. All this, without even discussing that 66% of the only three female characters in the film exist for the main cast to put their dicks inside of, and then are disposed of. Just a truly miserable experience.
Bonus: a guy in my screening got up afterward and shouted to me and my boyfriend "and we're supposed to be nice to THEIR kids!" Way to go, everyone.
Basically it's like a mashup between some of the more existential and visually insane moments of The Fountain and silent film-level creaky melodrama. I'm still not even sure what the hell to make of it a day later.
Why this is never mentioned in the same breath as Persona or The Seventh Seal or Fanny and Alexander or Wild Strawberries is beyond me. (But god, the man could make great films.)
Comments 1 - 25 of 33
Movie comment on Devil's Due
jdjudge
It does more interesting things than I ever expected (mainly because of the lead actress' surprisingly not-awful character development and what it's saying about her pregnancy) but christ almighty is this thing terribly directed.Movie comment on Fury
jdjudge
Intensely unbalanced, misjudged, hypermasculine bullshit. Tries REALLY hard to be Saving Private Ryan and emulate its points about the lack of humanity in war, without actually understanding that that film's graphic nature wasn't meant to inspire an us-against-"them" xenophobic shoot 'em up. Lerman's characterBonus: a guy in my screening got up afterward and shouted to me and my boyfriend "and we're supposed to be nice to THEIR kids!" Way to go, everyone.
Movie comment on Taxi zum Klo
jdjudge
That this manages to feel truthful is the greatest triumph of all. Well, and the watersports scene.Movie comment on Noah
jdjudge
Basically it's like a mashup between some of the more existential and visually insane moments of The Fountain and silent film-level creaky melodrama. I'm still not even sure what the hell to make of it a day later.Movie comment on Party Central
jdjudge
I enjoyed this more than I did Monsters University, quite frankly.Movie comment on Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country
jdjudge
Available as a bonus feature on the Criterion DVD of Short Cuts.Movie comment on My Dad Is 100 Years Old
jdjudge
Available as a bonus feature in Criterion's Rossellini/Bergman box set.Movie comment on Junkopia
jdjudge
Available as a bonus feature on the Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray of La Jetée and Sans Soleil.Movie comment on Crook's Tour
jdjudge
Available as a bonus feature on the Criterion DVD/Blu-Ray of The Lady Vanishes.Movie comment on Siamo donne
jdjudge
Roberto Rossellini's segment The Chicken, featuring Ingrid Bergman, is available as a bonus feature in Criterion's Rossellini/Bergman box set.Movie comment on A Sense of History
jdjudge
This is exceedingly disturbing. I approve.Movie comment on Operator 13
jdjudge
I checked out of this as soon as Davies started running around in blackface.Movie comment on Bataille de neige
jdjudge
I rather liked this one.Movie comment on Fearless
jdjudge
HOW is this in zero lists? Absolutely incredible.Movie comment on Love and Death
jdjudge
"Wheat."Movie comment on By the Sad Sea Waves
jdjudge
Lloyd in his lifeguard uniform was a very welcome sight, tbh.Toplist comment on TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films
jdjudge
I second The Ascent love. Can't believe it's only JUST in it.Movie comment on Read It and Weep
jdjudge
I remember this being surprisingly incredible, what with a DCOM descending as far into vaguely schizophrenic madness as it could.Movie comment on Fanny och Alexander
jdjudge
The idea of it being condensed to, say, 1h45m, makes me want to jump into a pit of sulfur.Movie comment on Skammen
jdjudge
Why this is never mentioned in the same breath as Persona or The Seventh Seal or Fanny and Alexander or Wild Strawberries is beyond me. (But god, the man could make great films.)Movie comment on Life-Size
jdjudge
THE B*WITCHED SOUNDTRACK.Movie comment on Giant
jdjudge
TheMajor and JosteinAsk are both very correct.Movie comment on Home Before Dark
jdjudge
Unjustly...nonexistent from history. Simmons OWNS this.Toplist comment on Academy Award - Best Picture Nominees
jdjudge
The winners ARE still nominees.Movie comment on After the Thin Man
jdjudge
Almost better than the first one, which is impressive.Showing items 1 – 25 of 33