[Tino]

Interesting comments Chuck. I usually agree with you so I am curious as to how I will react...although your 8/10 rating seems better than your actual review.

[Tino]

BTW, Flags is currently 100% Cream Of The Crop at RT:

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flags_of_our_fathers/

[Chuck Mayer]

Tino,
It's not a bad movie by any stretch. I would be dishonest in the number if I bashed it for not being brilliant...merely good. But I had hoped it was brilliant. I included the second post (positives) for that very reason. So I focus on the what kept it from being a 9 or above for me. What was good was quite good...what wasn't stuck out.

I have no desire to color your opinion, Tino. But you, like me, read the book, know the story, and know Iwo. I have a feeling you will be closer to me on this than usual. But I'd love to be wrong about that, with you loving it.

[Tino]

I'll be seeing the first show on friday Chuck, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned. I was hoping that Clint would show the true horror of battle on that Island, especially the Japanese treachery against our soldiers, but it appears that isn't the case. Perhaps that wasn't the story he wanted to tell, but since it was a major part of the book, I was hoping he would.

[Chuck Mayer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tino

I'll be seeing the first show on friday Chuck, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit concerned. I was hoping that Clint would show the true horror of battle on that Island, especially the Japanese treachery against our soldiers, but it appears that isn't the case. Perhaps that wasn't the story he wanted to tell, but since it was a major part of the book, I was hoping he would.

Tino,
Don't be concerned Just be aware the film delves very little into that (though it does not ignore it). Again, book readers might be a bit disappointed in the limited scope the film takes. So be ready for the film...not the book.

Enjoy the show,
Chuck

[Abby_B]

I'm definitely going to see this this weekend (my boyfriend is also really excited for it too), because of the fact that this *is* a story that hasn't really been told in this way before, and I think that it's going to be a good war movie, and a good character movie. (Or that's what I'm feeling at any rate.) I think, as with everything that's based on a book, there's going to be some give and take with the source material, in terms of the story the director/writer/cast/etc is going for.

I've read a lot of interviews with Eastwood over the past few days, and I feel like he's been very judicious and sensitive about the decisions he made handling the film and the story. I think that there will probably be something for everyone in it - whether you are looking for more of the battle stuff or the aftereffects stuff. I still feel like this is going to be an awesome movie.

[Tino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer

Tino,
Don't be concerned Just be aware the film delves very little into that (though it does not ignore it). Again, book readers might be a bit disappointed in the limited scope the film takes. So be ready for the film...not the book.

Enjoy the show,
Chuck

Gotcha

[J-EL]

Between this and The Prestige this weekend, it's going to be mighty nice. Looking forward to it.

[Robert Crawford]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer

Tino,
Don't be concerned Just be aware the film delves very little into that (though it does not ignore it). Again, book readers might be a bit disappointed in the limited scope the film takes. So be ready for the film...not the book.

Enjoy the show,
Chuck

From some of Eastwood's comments, you can tell he wanted to focus the film on some limited themes from the book. His decisions to include or omit were probably made to fit the specific storylines he intended to tell to the audiences. Particularly, the bond tour which was something he felt needed to be told as it affected each of the survivors life after Iwo.

This thread will come to an end sometime tomorrow with two new separate threads in which Chuck's review being the initial review for the Official Review thread.




Crawdaddy

[Holadem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-EL

Between this and The Prestige this weekend, it's going to be mighty nice. Looking forward to it.

Nice? I commited months ago to an Indy marathon in a friend's badass HT this Saturday and now with The prestige, Flags of our Fathers and Marie Antoinette hitting, plus Last King of Scotland which I should have seen days ago, I don't know I am going to survive the weekend . I supposed there are worse problems to have.

--
H