Comments on: Explaining What Civil War is Saying Because No One is Getting It

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 03 May 2024 00:51:04 +0000

What I liked most about this film was that it was not political. I hear enough of that in my daily life so I don’t need to be spoon fed a view from someone else. People who think it is clearly watched a different film than I did. I liked that the scope was small just focusing on these journalists and their journey to DC. And their ability (or not at times) to put aside their own feelings to get a shot or a quote. You know that has to take a toll as we see Lee suffering toward the end likely from PTSD. I wondered if that was the real reason she wound up taking the bullet. I thought about that for a while after watching it.

It reminded me of a fictional 20 Days in Mariupol.

By: Taylor Holmes

Taylor Holmes — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 03:38:16 +0000

In reply to Kenny.

Thanks Kenny…
Yeah – you point out a really good point. The sound design was crazy. The silence at the opening with the explosion… not an Omaha Beach sort of distortion… an absolute silence. And the quiet before two specific gun shots? Those gun shots… both of them, scared the shit out of me. Like, I almost fell on the floor it shocked me so much. Just fantastic. And I’m with you… I’ll be watching it again as soon as I can.

Thanks Kenny. And sorry the site is so thoroughly broken right now. Heading over to Fiverr to see if I can get someone to help me fix it. Gah.
Taylor

By: Kenny

Kenny — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 02:42:00 +0000

I loved this movie, and the approach to it – no exposition about what caused the breakdown and strife in the country, lots of moral ambiguity on all sides, highlighted in particular for the journalists in some of their jokes and how they ‘use’ some of the action to their benefit, as you have outlined here Taylor. They did mention at one point about the President being in his 3rd term – so some allusion here to a sort of power grab/dictatorship, but I’m glad they left it at that.

Smart moves all around to show the journalists’ journey, and spot on on the ‘coming of age’ theme. You see it in Lee as the movie goes on, in the older journalist that tags along with them, and of course with Jessie. Also thought it was clever to use CAL/TEX as the unified front – most other combinations would immediately point to this movie taking one ‘side’ or another (as the journalists do not really). They were there for the shot, as we were just here for the ride with them. Garland being a Brit that made a dystopian US Civil War movie is an interesting thought in itself.

Definitely will be a rewatch for me. The use of music/needledrops was absolutely sublime too, really amped up the atmosphere and was a good change of pace from the super loud cuts/jumps interspersed in the film. 2024 off to a great start with Dune Part Two, Monkey Man, and now this.

Thanks, as always, Taylor for your amazing work!