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You're not just describing Saving Private Ryan, you're describing most of Spielberg's 21c filmography. I wonder why he feels the need to keep cranking out dubious amounts of energy-drained dramas. At least he occasionally makes something good.

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You guys have no heart. Let yourself get manipulated once in a while. It's cathartic.

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Well, to some extent I agree.

But I don't mind being emotionally manipulated once in a while or watch movies that are heavy on sentimentality.

But SPR was just stupid war propaganda that bored me in an almost 3 hour walk to rescue a single soldier. Screw honor, loyalty or whatever military excuse for such a dumb plotline for a movie. Its message felt so forced too. I just didn't click with it...

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Don't you think your gripe with that is covered by the soldiers, and don't you think the whole point is to show that soldiers have to follow orders no matter how problematic they find it?

My point is I think Speilberg probably feels the same way as you do. If by propaganda, you mean the film is pro-war, I think you are very wrong.

Me too, but sentimentality is irritating when done poorly. That's why Dr. Smith Goes to Washington is great, but Lincoln isn't.

Is doctor Smith a dentist or a real doctor?

You couldn't have that more backwards.

I've tried to write something thoughtful about the last few posts, but it either comes out too angry or too toothless. Needless to say, I feel a little embarrassed, for me and for you guys.

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War is stupid no matter what in my opinion, so it's hard to make a film that doesn't come off as being just that.

And yes, sean, maybe Spielberg do intent to show how dumb war is by putting up a plotline that depicts soldiers who have to follow orders no matter how stupid they sound. But a 3 hour movie about that? A 3 hour movie of every possible thing that can show the following: "is this really worth it?" No thank you, I had enough 20 minutes into the central plotline.

Allow me to step in for you

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You had a great post going and then you had to get your shots in on PTA and Russell. Come on Jaydee, wd could have been on the same side for once.

As I was writing that I thought, "I'm going to lose Sean here". In fact you're kind of why I included it in the first place!

I love Spielberg. I'm just not a fan of Saving Private Ryan.

That doesn't take away from the fact that I still think highly of many of his other films and usually find him to be one of the few directors who deliver sentimentality so well, that you can't blame him for it or be negative about it. I think I even discussed how Spielberg "earns it" in my review for E.T. ... A movie I awarded with a .

Other works of his that I love, include Jurassic Park, Raiders, Crusade, Minority Report, Catch Me If You Can, Jaws and even movies like War of the Worlds and The Terminal. Almost ALL of these films are close to ratings or a at the least...

There is just something about him doing the whole war thing. I remember being in conflict with Schindler's List as well. Anyways, I do owe Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List a proper rewatch, especially the latter. But I'm not exactly in a hurry.

TBF to JD, though, those people are ****.

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I'm stuck on the propaganda thing. If you think Saving Private Ryan in any way promotes or defends war, you weren't actually watching the movie. I agree that Spielberg's recent output hasn't ben great, but I've never felt that a Speilberg film was actively bad. At worst, they're okay and undeserving of their praise.

Oh I'm sorry, did I say propaganda? I meant prop-agenda.

A plan or goal that guides someone's behavior, but ultimately feels false and without proper weight.

Yeah that's it.

* indicates a rewatch

Forsaken
Jon Cassar | 2015


Jim: The James Foley Story
Brian Oakes | 2016


John Mulaney: The Comeback Kid *
Rhys Thomas | 2015


The Jungle Book
Jon Favreau | 2016


My Beautiful Broken Brain
Sophie Robinson, Lotje Sodderland | 2014


Sherlock: The Abominable Bride
Douglas Mackinnon | 2016

I think war is stupid too, so is murder...but every other film made is about murder and people love that. You don't have to like war to like a war movie.

Question: Does your hatred of SPR have anything to do with the Americans being the heroes in the movie? The Allies were the heroes of WWII. That doesn't mean the 'heroes' always acted ethically, war is seldom fair.

Side Effects (2013) -

++

First half was great and it really falls off from there and becomes extremely generic. Can't recommend.

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Outlandish and hilarious at sometimes, mean spirited and dumb at others. Luckily the good outweighed the bad. I still hate the blond one though.

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