Thursday, October 23, 2008
W
Tonight I went with a friend to see the new Oliver Stone film, W.
I give Oliver Stone a lot of credit for JFK. That film was creepily compelling, and I thought it was cinematically good. It made me curious, and it got me thinking, reading, and expanding my understanding of American political history and reality. JFK was well-researched, and (at least for a Hollywood movie) somewhat radical in its perspective.
W would've been kinda funny as a 2-minute Saturday Night Live skit. At 2+ hours, though, it was a real chore to watch. Cheezy caricature is not sufficient to carry a feature film that runs more than 2 hours.
I wanted to like this film. I wanted to find it compelling and/or at least funny. It just wasn't.
I also think the film was off the mark in its interpretation of recent history and the characters in the Bush administration. It made them look stupider than I think they actually are. Many people see Bush as stupid and/or incompetent. But I believe he has been remarkably effective in executing his agenda, which was primarily about looting the country and undermining the constitution. All the talk about liberty, democracy and patriotism is just a smokescreen.
The Bush portrayed in W is an insecure, redneck buffoon. My understanding of him is darker.
I give Oliver Stone a lot of credit for JFK. That film was creepily compelling, and I thought it was cinematically good. It made me curious, and it got me thinking, reading, and expanding my understanding of American political history and reality. JFK was well-researched, and (at least for a Hollywood movie) somewhat radical in its perspective.
W would've been kinda funny as a 2-minute Saturday Night Live skit. At 2+ hours, though, it was a real chore to watch. Cheezy caricature is not sufficient to carry a feature film that runs more than 2 hours.
I wanted to like this film. I wanted to find it compelling and/or at least funny. It just wasn't.
I also think the film was off the mark in its interpretation of recent history and the characters in the Bush administration. It made them look stupider than I think they actually are. Many people see Bush as stupid and/or incompetent. But I believe he has been remarkably effective in executing his agenda, which was primarily about looting the country and undermining the constitution. All the talk about liberty, democracy and patriotism is just a smokescreen.
The Bush portrayed in W is an insecure, redneck buffoon. My understanding of him is darker.
