American Sniper

If there's one movie to see this year, guys, this is it. Clint Eastwood may well be the greatest living American director, and this film is one of his VERY best. (I'd put it maybe behind only behind his masterpiece Unforgiven.) But be warned. This movie is an emotional powerhouse.

And guys, if any of you served in combat, be forewarned. I saw it with a guy who was seriously wounded in Vietnam, and he was extremely disturbed by the movie, to the point of tears for hours afterward. As this review says, it may be one of the most profound movies ever about the effects of war on men.

Bradley Cooper gives an all-time great performance, and it sure doesn't hurt that he's hot as hell, too. (BTW, the real-life Chris Kyle was an extremely hot man, too.)

So, I recommend this move highly but it's not a fun or easy movie. I found it maybe the most wrenching movie I've seen in the theater since Brokeback Mountain.


https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2015/01/1 … story.html
By BearinFW | 01/16/2015 03:48 AM | 14 comments
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  • Does it really matter guy? I wouldn't fuck a "straight" married man but I don't see the harm in admiring something as eye candy. A good-looking man is a good-looking man
    BearinFW 02/11/2015 04:40 AM
  • I think the Academy in recent years has been nominating critically acclaimed movies, or movies that aspire to some noble idea, rather than just good movies. I think it's telling that "American Sniper" made more money in its first weekend than most of the other nominated films put together.

    I saw "The Grand Budapest Hotel" the other day, and although I appreciated its high style and artistry, on the whole the movie left me indifferent. I laughed one time.

    Most of this year's nominated films, frankly, don't sound interesting at all.
    BearinFW 01/21/2015 12:33 AM
  • Not to change the topic but Jesse and I watched Birdman and we both disliked it and didn't understand the praise and high marks. We kept tuning out of it.
    Marc 01/20/2015 11:40 AM
  • Great Movie. Saw Inherent Vice last night. A little strange, a little funny. Saw Boyhood ON Demand. Very disappointed. Loved Ethan Hawke in his other movies, but just couldn't get into this one. I am one of a very few. It's a hard category for best actor. I think it's gonna be either Michael Keaton for Birdman or Eddie Radmayne for The Theory of Everything.
    fenwaydav 01/20/2015 10:31 AM
  • American Sniper was excellent. Loved it. Not to mention Bradley Cooper is sexy as hell, I like the extra weight on him bigtime
    Marc 01/20/2015 01:15 AM
  • I haven't seen Boyhood yet, so I guess I should withhold judgment, but I suspect that the film's amazing backstory (being filmed a segment at a time over 12 years) may be the driving factor in its awards success. I doubt American Sniper has much shot at best picture, as war movies don't often beat the odds against "guy" movies at the Oscars.
    BearinFW 01/18/2015 04:20 AM
  • I'll probably wait for the DVD release myself. I did, however, watch The Imitiation Game, with Benedict Cumberbatch playing Alan Turing, with the movie mainly focusing on Turing's work breaking the Enigma code during WW2. I felt that while the movie glossed over his homosexuality and mistreatment, it still gave us a wonderful insight into his very important work. And predictably, Cumberbatch was brilliant as Turing.
    I'm eagerly awaiting Foxcatcher myself.. The previews looked good.
    aliencubby 01/17/2015 03:19 PM
  • I totally agree with you BearinFW, he was nice looking at that weight; more of a bear.

    Saw Boyhood when it came out in limited release at an art film theater here. Nice movie with real family vibe to it. Kinda surprised at the awards it is receiving because it seemed so laid back and mellow, but it was a definite experimental thing to do and took 12 years to complete.
    rjzip 01/17/2015 10:47 AM
  • BTW, the Oscars this year have a definite Texas flavor to them.

    Two of the five director nominees are from Texas: Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater

    The Best Picture favorite (Boyhood) was made in the Austin area.

    American Sniper is about a Texan.

    So three of the eight Best Picture nominees have Texas connections: American Sniper, Boyhood and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

    Boyhood wasn't put into wide release when it came out earlier this year. I wonder if it will be released to theaters again (a much wider release this time) or we'll have to wait to see it on DVD.
    BearinFW 01/17/2015 01:01 AM
  • I thought he looked really good at that weight. But I guess Hollywood prefers em skinny :)
    BearinFW 01/16/2015 02:51 PM
  • Portrait shows how beautiful Bradley is having lost the weight from playing the part.
    rjzip 01/16/2015 01:16 PM
  • Here he is shown during training for the part. WOOOOOFFFFFFF
    rjzip 01/16/2015 01:15 PM
  • Bradley certainly is the new leading man type and sorta in the mold of old Hollywood men like Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, etc., but even easier on the eyes. I read that he gained 35 pounds so he would be more like the real guy and studied the real sniper's voice and copied it to an amazing degree. Here he is in the part:
    rjzip 01/16/2015 01:14 PM
  • Thank you for the heads up. One of the preview scenes gave me pause as to whether I would go to see it. I may wait until it is out on DVD so I can shut it off if needed.
    Eastwood definitely has come into his own as a director.
    VARickbear 01/16/2015 06:39 AM