Jarheezy

[marbury1414]

I can't believe that there's no Jarhead thread yet, or maybe I'm just blind? Anyways, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, as Sam Mendes has failed to dissapoint me yet with any of his movies.

Despite me enjoying it, I can't make a final judgement on it until I see it again, due to the fact that this is one of the movies that really sat heavy with me and made me think about what I saw without really knowing what to think. This is because the way the movie's story was told in a slightly unconventional way. Jake Gyllenhall's overall goal was simply to fight, and he couldn't achieve this goal through any means of action himself. Due to this, the emotional arc of the story was hard to follow and I was left with a heavy feeling that I was only touching on the surface of what these marines felt.

Now normally, if a movie doesn't hit emotional home right away, critics like to write it off as insubstantial. This can't be blamed totally on them, as they are only writing to inform someone who is going to the movie theaters to see a movie once. However, this can provide mistaken judgement on the lasting power of a movie, the main example I can think of being Life Aquatic. The first time I saw that movie, I felt as if it was good and something was there, but I couldn't quite touch on it and I couldn't fully understand why Bill Murray cried at the end. Even though it didn't hit me the first time, I felt the strong need to see it again and when I did, somehow I just "got it" and now I get choked up at that last part every time I see it.

This movie left me with the same feeling of needing to see it again because the material was not the conventional emotional story, and it also left me feeling that upon further viewing I will "get it" the same way I "got" Life Aquatic. So overall, I enjoyed the movie and it was beautifully shot and really brings you into the Marine's world, but I really need to see it again to see if it has the lasting power I know it has the potential to have.

[FstFtsVsFences]

I still plan to read your little essay here, but did you have Steve write that title? Honestly.

[marbury1414]

I still plan to read your little essay here, but did you have Steve write that title? Honestly.

Beezy.

[SLADE775]

I wrote a review for this movie the day it came out.

[FstFtsVsFences]

I love The Life Aquatic.

[FstFtsVsFences]

Aaaaand, I kinda have had a feeling the movie would be the way you described.

[marbury1414]

I wrote a review for this movie the day it came out.

But that was in your profile. Do you agree somewhat with what I say?

[marbury1414]

Aaaaand, I kinda have had a feeling the movie would be the way you described.

Don't get me wrong though, if it ends up having the same effect on me the second time the Life Aquatic had, it will go down in my book as a great movie, and it's already pretty damn good.

[FstFtsVsFences]

Don't get me wrong though, if it ends up having the same effect on me the second time the Life Aquatic had, it will go down in my book as a great movie, and it's already pretty damn good.
I meant that in a good way. You know how much I love Wes Anderson movies (yes I know this is far from him, but i'm talking about the way it hits you).

[marbury1414]

I meant that in a good way. You know how much I love Wes Anderson movies (yes I know this is far from him, but i'm talking about the way it hits you).

Ya, cool.

[SLADE775]

But that was in your profile. Do you agree somewhat with what I say?


Yeah.

Movies like it are truly rare.

[marbury1414]

Yeah.

Movies like it are truly rare.

Serious. I can't wait to see it again.

[FstFtsVsFences]

Serious. I can't wait to see it again.
The Squid and the Whale isn't at the pruneyard anymore. :(

[marbury1414]

The Squid and the Whale isn't at the pruneyard anymore. :(

Gah! I really want to see that. I may have to wait for DVD for that one. Lame.

[Trainsaw]

great movie

[FstFtsVsFences]

Gah! I really want to see that. I may have to wait for DVD for that one. Lame.
Wait! It's still at the theater downtown. Totally seeing that next weekend and then seein Jarhead.

[marbury1414]

Wait! It's still at the theater downtown. Totally seeing that next weekend and then seein Jarhead.

Nice.

[Katie Schmitz]

i really really want to see this

[suburbn_thrills]

I really liked it.
For whatever reason i assumed it was going to be extremley gory and gross, so the whole movie i was waiting for shit to happen.
It's not your typical war movie, but it gives a really good insight into what it's like being at war, even if you're not fighting.

[abandnamedjon]

That was totally what Desert Storm was all about..well for the Marines at least. I thought it was a great war movie that actually brought some originality to theaters just from its perspective and storyline.

[Rebs]

I loved the movie, it wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it conveyed a great message. Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't hurt either. :wow:

[Katie Schmitz]

I loved the movie, it wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it conveyed a great message. Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't hurt either. :wow:

Jake is hot ... plain and simple

[Rebs]

Jake is hot ... plain and simple
yes, yes he is.

[suburbn_thrills]

I loved the movie, it wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it conveyed a great message. Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't hurt either. :wow:
Neither does seeing his butt...multiple times. :)
haha.

[theESCO]

I really liked it...but then again i just get excited with any movie that isnt a remake or a bad sequel these days.

[knux]

My top 3 movies of all time. This movie is soo good.

[fluke182]

First off, the Life Aquatic was Wes Anderson's only misstep in his career so far. It was mediocrity at its most mediocre, and I honestly believe anyone who thinks it was high quality was really just looking at it based off of the cast and off of the crew. It was a truly mediocre film that had aspirations for something much better. If you want a good Anderson film, watch Rushmore for gods sakes.

And Noah Baumbach ruined the Life Aquatic, he shouldn't have co-written, Owen Wilson should have. I am slightly excited for the Squid and the Whale, but a Anderson rip off by a hack like Baumbach sort of ruins the excitement for me.

Second off, Jarhead was a great film with great cinematography, a great script and fantastic acting. However, it was a tad boring and it really did not show anything new, it was pretty much just a poor man's Full Metal Jacket. Three Kings was infinitely better for a Gulf War movie. It got nuked by critics too, so it is finished in terms of Oscar contention. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't much of anything. It felt extremely empty. And in all honesty, all of you are the first people I have spoken too or read about that thought of it like this. Very strange.

[niveK]

Good movie, but it could have aspired to something more. As the movie progressed it feels like it tried to convey a message, but the message was never made.

Life aquatic isnt as good as wes's other work, but it is still better than 75% of the movies released this year. Even at his worst, he is still better than most.

[marbury1414]

First off, the Life Aquatic was Wes Anderson's only misstep in his career so far. It was mediocrity at its most mediocre, and I honestly believe anyone who thinks it was high quality was really just looking at it based off of the cast and off of the crew. It was a truly mediocre film that had aspirations for something much better. If you want a good Anderson film, watch Rushmore for gods sakes.

And Noah Baumbach ruined the Life Aquatic, he shouldn't have co-written, Owen Wilson should have. I am slightly excited for the Squid and the Whale, but a Anderson rip off by a hack like Baumbach sort of ruins the excitement for me.

Second off, Jarhead was a great film with great cinematography, a great script and fantastic acting. However, it was a tad boring and it really did not show anything new, it was pretty much just a poor man's Full Metal Jacket. Three Kings was infinitely better for a Gulf War movie. It got nuked by critics too, so it is finished in terms of Oscar contention. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't much of anything. It felt extremely empty. And in all honesty, all of you are the first people I have spoken too or read about that thought of it like this. Very strange.

I totally respect your opinion but I have to diagree on pretty much all accounts. I own Rushmore and love it, but Life Aquatic affects me alot more than any of his other movies ever did. Secondly, I also love Three Kings, as that was the movie that somehow "got me into" film. But this movie and L.A. seem to have a repeat value in them that can't be judged in a single viewing. Obviously, this is mostly personal opinion but that's all judging movies is. So I'll agree to disagree.

[marbury1414]

Good movie, but it could have aspired to something more. As the movie progressed it feels like it tried to convey a message, but the message was never made.

Life aquatic isnt as good as wes's other work, but it is still better than 75% of the movies released this year. Even at his worst, he is still better than most.

I felt that the movie had an extremely strong theme, that war and the military as a social institution fucks people up whether they fight or not. Most people believe that it's only the fighting and killing that change people, but the simple fact that the military is training these people to completely lose their identity and have their sole purpose be to kill changes them for life. It doesn't have a stance either way on it, but it's innovative merely for the fact that Sam Mendes took a type of movie that is generally pretty straight forward, and brought a whole new theme to it that is generally over looked.

By the way they used my favorite Nirvana song in the movie, respek.

[fluke182]

I totally respect your opinion but I have to diagree on pretty much all accounts. I own Rushmore and love it, but Life Aquatic affects me alot more than any of his other movies ever did. Secondly, I also love Three Kings, as that was the movie that somehow "got me into" film. But this movie and L.A. seem to have a repeat value in them that can't be judged in a single viewing. Obviously, this is mostly personal opinion but that's all judging movies is. So I'll agree to disagree.
I need to throw down with Life Aquatic a few more times, it just seemed that Wes fell in love with his style in it and totally ignored the substance and characters that defined his earlier films. Three Kings is still pretty much perfect in my opinion, its incredibly entertaining and just an altogether well put together film. Jarhead, I quite liked, but it just seemed to be missing something, maybe a connection with anyone in the movie.

[marbury1414]

I need to throw down with Life Aquatic a few more times, it just seemed that Wes fell in love with his style in it and totally ignored the substance and characters that defined his earlire films. Three Kings is still pretty much perfect in my opinion, its incredibly entertaining and just an altogether well put together film. Jarhead, I quite liked, but it just seemed to be missing something, maybe a connection with anyone in the movie.

Ya, I see where you're coming from, but definitely give Life Aquatic a second shot if you haven't yet.

P.S. Three Kings doesn't get nearly the amount of respect it deserves.

[Rebs]

Good movie, but it could have aspired to something more. As the movie progressed it feels like it tried to convey a message, but the message was never made.

I thought that there were extremely strong themes, but the movie left you room to think for yourself. It allowed for a lot of symbolic interpretation and such..kind of like reading a book