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Topic: Sundance 2010 (Read 3114 times)
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Abagadro
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Posts: 12227
Possibly the only user with more posts in the Den than PC/Console Gaming.
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Time again for my posts on Sundance movies I've seen that nobody cares about, but that I like writing.
Two movies today:
The Tillman Story
Documentary about the friendly-fire killing of Pat Tillman, but more about what he was really like and the battle his family has had to get the military to tell the truth about both the incident and the cover-up/propaganda BS that followed. Very well done. I'd followed the story relatively closely over the years but this filled in a bunch of gaps up to and including footage from the area that it happened. Further evidence of what a bunch of assholes the military brass is in constructing heroic bullshit propaganda and hiding the truth. Major further evidence of what a fucking weasel Donald Rumsfeld is. Tillman's family is pretty damn cool. Was produced by A&E films so if it doesn't get a distro deal might show up on the A&E network although a lot of the language would need to be bleeped as "fuck" is one of the Tillman family's favorite words. Good Q&A after with the director, Pat Tillman's mom (who is pretty amazing) and Richard Tillman (the youngest brother and he of the "he's fucking dead" eulogy awesomeness).
The Company Men
Dramatic movie with Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Craig T. Nelson, Eamon Walker (who I dig seeing although he looks about 80 pounds heavier than when he played Said on Oz, hopefully that was not all him). Written and Directed by John Wells who is a big-time TV producer (created E.R., etc.) but this is his first feature directorial effort. About guys who are tops at their career but then get laid off because of downsizing used to boost stock prices. Good cast and they do well in this movie, but it never really grabbed me. Didn't cover much new ground that I hadn't already seen done better elsewhere and never really grabbed me on the level of giving a damn about the characters. It is getting good buzz though and Wells is such a heavyweight (plus the cast) that it will likely get a distribution deal. No Q&A as the SLC plebeians don't merit I guess.
Tomorrow: Documentary by Alex Gibney about Jack Abramoff.
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« Last Edit: January 24, 2010, 11:32:52 PM by Abagadro »
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"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken
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schild
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Posts: 60350
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Moving to general, though I always like the sundance threads.
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stu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1891
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The Tillman Story
Although I've never been to Sundance, this has compelled me to pick up Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer and about Pat Tillman. Anyone read it yet? |
Dear Diary,
Jackpot!
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Abagadro
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12227
Possibly the only user with more posts in the Den than PC/Console Gaming.
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FYI, that book was charachterized last night by Richard Tillman as "full of lies".
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"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken
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Johny Cee
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Posts: 3454
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FYI, that book was charachterized last night by Richard Tillman as "full of lies".
A Krakauer book that may have embellished the truth in order to make a better novel? Edit: To elucidate, my family is big into hiking and climbing. We all were into the '96 Everest disaster, so we've read quite a bit about it. Krakauer's Into Thin Air pretty obviously took a one of congruence of bad events and questionable decision-making leading to a disaster and set out to fashion it into a popular novel complete with heroes, villains, and a message. |
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« Last Edit: January 25, 2010, 04:52:12 PM by Johny Cee »
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stu
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1891
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Well, I'm glad I haven't placed the order yet. Thanks for that.
Back to Sundance- Casino Jack looks good. Maybe I'll check out some of the coverage on their cable channel. All I know of Sundance I learned from Patton Oswalt.
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« Last Edit: January 25, 2010, 09:53:02 PM by stu »
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Dear Diary,
Jackpot!
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Abagadro
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12227
Possibly the only user with more posts in the Den than PC/Console Gaming.
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Casino Jack looks good.
It was. I'll have a full review up tomorrow night as I am too beat to do it tonight. As for the Krakauer book, I can't vouch for the statement, just passing it along. |
"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken
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Abagadro
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12227
Possibly the only user with more posts in the Den than PC/Console Gaming.
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Casino Jack and the United States of Money
Film by Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: Smartest Guys in the Room) and continues his excellent work of ferreting out corruption and explaining how it happens. Very, very detailed portrait of how Abramoff worked to both corrupt the system and rip off his own clients. Traces the rise of these guys up from the College Republicans in the 80s through basically running the town into the ground. I've read a lot about him but this had so much detail that I learned a lot. Some really funny stuff too about how they hired a stoner lifeguard to be the head of a bogus "international think tank" to launder their money through to Ralph Reed and Abramoff's film endeavors (i.e. Dolf Lundgren's Red Scopion which is basically a College Republican wet-dream). Really good analysis of how these guys did all of this stuff with trips, campaign cash, tickets, meals, etc. to influence policy for the benefit of Chinese sweatshop owners, anti-competitive casinos, mob-tied folks, etc. It is a bit long and so detailed that after a while you feel like you are watching a closing argument in a trial rather than a film, but if you want to know how truly messed up the political system is in D.C. it is a good education.
Next up tomorrow night: 8 the Mormon Proposition
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« Last Edit: January 26, 2010, 02:24:42 PM by Abagadro »
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"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken
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Abagadro
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12227
Possibly the only user with more posts in the Den than PC/Console Gaming.
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Hmmm, should I pay $100 to go to Wilmer Valderrama's birthday party? Tough decision.
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"As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.”
-H.L. Mencken
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