Just saw this one Wednesday while waiting to catch a flight. All I can say is wow... [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

I don't think I've ever walked out of a movie where the entire audience was just silent. Usually people are talking about their favorite parts of the movie, but the ending was so powerful... I know I couldn't think of anything to say that was worth the air it would take.

I typically don't follow the Oscar and other award crapola, but I think this one is definitely award-worthy. Clint Eastwood is his usual self as I think of him, but Hilary Swank is just fantastic.

Has anyone else seen it? Thoughts?

Not bad, though the whole morality thing at the end pissed me off. I know that Clint was trying to make a point, but after the excellent first half, this seemed tired and preachy.

Just saw it. You're right. Wow.

Minor question -- was there an explanation of the Clint/daughter issue that I missed, or was that just left a mystery?

Assuming you're talking about his own daughter... no. I don't think there's anything that explains why she was no longer talking to him. I thought it was interesting that he was apparently telling the truth about her the whole time (remember the priest accusing him of lying?). And wrapping it up at the end... 'nuff said.

I think it was a good flick, and the ending threw me for a loop. I don't think it romanticized the

SPOILER!!!!!!!!!
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"Youth in Asia" theme the way some commentators claimed it did. The guy gave up everything and had to disappear.

There were some plot holes (such as the "off" button on the heart monitor), and some unexplored/unexplained facets. And, the subplot with the retarded/challenged boxer, which took up about 20 mins, could have been cut to make the movie a more palatable length.

In the end, I give it an A+ for acting and a B for plot. I do not think it deserved the Academy Award, but then again I do not think this year's field of contenders was strong at all.

I do, however, think that Clint did a find job as director. Scorcese may have deserved the Director's Award more, but he is a perennial black sheep of the Academy, with extraordinary bad luck. Freeman -- well, it's about danged time he got an award. Regarding Swank's performance, I think it was mediocre at best compared to "Boys Don't Cry," but to evaluate her against the field of other contenders, I'd have to see all those movies (which I have not).

[ 03-10-2005, 02:23 AM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

I'm thinking of seeing it to see why the site Million Dollar Bigot (http://milliondollarbigot.org/) trashes the movie. I don't like totally relying on only one source to tell me why a movie sucks :D

That site isn't trashing the movie so much as its politics. It's moaning real loudly about the proposed ADA Notification Act.

If the ADA-NA were passed, the lady who sued Eastwood for the lack of a ramp on his Carmel hotel would instead have to write him a letter and demand he correct the problem, and then allow 90 days for him to fix it before running to court. Sounds fair to me. But, that doesn't sit well with disability groups, who like to file suits so they can get attention and punish ADA violators. Apparently, making their voice heard is more important than actually fixing the problems their members face. They'd rather drag a lawsuit against a star out over a year than have a ramp installed in 90 days.

I'm aware of the act, but I'm not so sure 90 days is a short enough time.

I do think, however, that a person should give notification to the proprietor first. I also think that all businesses should know that the ADA Laws (I'm assuming most business owners would know laws pertaining to business) exist so should have long ago corrected whatever problems they've had. From personal experience, having stayed in over 15 hotels and motels over my life, the so-called handicapped accessible rooms in 13 of them weren't too accessable at all. The only thing accessable was the door into the room.

I couldn't get my lift under the bed since I have to use a lift for medical reasons, or get in their tubs easily. However, if the opportunity arose I damn well complained. (I never get to see anyone, my parents do, and my dad never feels a reason to complain) This also applies to various resturaunts I couldn't go into because they had no handicapped access and the insides weren't wheelchair friendly.

Anyway, as it pertains to the movie, since the site spoiled me it does seem out-of-character for a fighter-type character to just give up and ask to be killed... Still I'd prefer to see the movie.

[ 03-11-2005, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Jerr Conner ]

Too bad though she forgot to mention Lucia Rijker during her little Oscar speech, she tought her every move and should have gotten a little more credit for that.