Edwin MacPhisto Posted December 29, 2005 Report Posted December 29, 2005 It is. Maybe two cheesy scenes, and the rest is exceptional.
Special K Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 FOR ME TO POOP ON! That's what I was expecting from the title.
Edwin MacPhisto Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Posted December 30, 2005 Well, I was hoping the intrigue would make you just go see it. It's the best movie Spielberg's done in a long while. No dinosaurs, but not everything can be Jurassic Park. In all seriousness, it is an anxious, gritty espionage thriller spurred along by great performances from about 8 actors, who are all so good that they barely even need to speak to get across what they're feeling. Any one of them could get nominated for an Oscar and I wouldn't be surprised. Exciting and terrifying and twisty on the most basic of narrative levels. It's also a tremendously bracing look at the actors and actions of terrorism, reprisals against terrorism, and the undercurrents that have spurred on Israel vs. Palestine for years. There's an extended sequence out at the ranch of a character named Papa (played by Michael Lonsdale, a big-time French character actor who you might know as the guy with the little samurai figurines who helps out DeNiro and Jean Reno and Ronin), that is probably my favorite 10 minutes of film this year. Basically, if you like movies, go.
Renegade Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 Well I was on the fence about seeing this since it looked pretty cheesy in the trailer.
Edwin MacPhisto Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Posted December 30, 2005 The only really cheesy scene is one in which Eric Bana is railing his wife under hyper-expressive lighting and sweating like he just ran a marathon in twenty minutes, while imagining the murders of the Israeli athletes at the '72 Olympics. And that's just so out-there and at odds with the rest of the movie's tone that it's kind of worth seeing too. Everything else is deadly serious and often very fucked up.
muzz Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 I'm interested to know what you thought of Eric Bana's performance, since I'm eager to see how his career unfolds. (I'm always like that with fellow Aussie's)
Edwin MacPhisto Posted December 30, 2005 Author Report Posted December 30, 2005 He was really, really good. I felt like his character was a bit underwritten and had to work through the film's most obvious, hamfisted lines, but he handled it awfully well. He was especially good during the various assassination attempts and the scenes with Geoffrey Rush's character--see the movie and you'll see what I mean. Really glad to see him get another good dramatic role and follow up on the promise he showed in Black Hawk Down, after the nonsense that was The Hulk. Wasn't he a ridiculous comedian before he ascended to worldwide fame? An Australian guy I met a few months ago said his becoming a big-time acclaimed actor was almost as hilarious as Jamie Foxx doing it.
CBright7831 Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 It sucks it's being released natiowide next year. I want to see this now.
muzz Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 Wasn't he a ridiculous comedian before he ascended to worldwide fame? An Australian guy I met a few months ago said his becoming a big-time acclaimed actor was almost as hilarious as Jamie Foxx doing it. A few years ago, that was certainly true. He was a comedian/sketch comedy performer, but a pretty damn good one. I think his role in 'Chopper' is where he really showed something special, balancing between dark humour and drama, and then BHD solidified that.
Dobbs 3K Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 I'm looking forward to seeing Munich. Maybe it will make some people think a little differently about the Middle East and Israel (in a good way, I hope).
MDH257 Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 It's a really good movie. Feels like a '70's espionage thriller (and I mean that as a compliment). I've heard some people say that they think the reason it's so good is because Spielberg had to rush the finish it in time for the release date and thus didn't have the chance to overthink it or add in some of the usual "Spielberg touches".
spiny norman Posted December 30, 2005 Report Posted December 30, 2005 Wasn't he a ridiculous comedian before he ascended to worldwide fame? An Australian guy I met a few months ago said his becoming a big-time acclaimed actor was almost as hilarious as Jamie Foxx doing it. A few years ago, that was certainly true. He was a comedian/sketch comedy performer, but a pretty damn good one. I think his role in 'Chopper' is where he really showed something special, balancing between dark humour and drama, and then BHD solidified that. I hated him as a comedian. I found him truly terrible. But I've really enjoyed him as an actor. I think he's done really well for himself and is really quite talented (especially given he's made a name for himself off about three major international movies).
muzz Posted December 31, 2005 Report Posted December 31, 2005 Wasn't he a ridiculous comedian before he ascended to worldwide fame? An Australian guy I met a few months ago said his becoming a big-time acclaimed actor was almost as hilarious as Jamie Foxx doing it. A few years ago, that was certainly true. He was a comedian/sketch comedy performer, but a pretty damn good one. I think his role in 'Chopper' is where he really showed something special, balancing between dark humour and drama, and then BHD solidified that. I hated him as a comedian. I found him truly terrible. But I've really enjoyed him as an actor. I think he's done really well for himself and is really quite talented (especially given he's made a name for himself off about three major international movies). Even his work on Full Frontal?
Spicy McHaggis Posted December 31, 2005 Report Posted December 31, 2005 I'm looking forward to seeing Munich. Maybe it will make some people think a little differently about the Middle East and Israel (in a good way, I hope). What do you mean by "differently" and "in a good way"?
Positively Kanyon Posted January 1, 2006 Report Posted January 1, 2006 Even his work on Full Frontal? His 'Poiter' character was some of the funniest shit I've ever seen. But in the comedy stakes, he doesn't hold a candle to Shaun Micallef in my opinion... Back on topic, I saw the trailer for this and it looks like a really good movie.
Lord of The Curry Posted January 9, 2006 Report Posted January 9, 2006 Kinda sad that this thread hasn't reached the number of pages it deserves, considering how good the movie is. Saw it last night and enjoyed the shit out of it. I probably like Syriana more because I found it to be more tight all around and I didn't really care for the way Munich dropped off near the end without much explanation. Regardless a fabulous movie and one that is going to be a big player come Oscar time. Easily Stevie's best since Saving Private Ryan. What Edwin mentions about the actors in the movie not needing to speak and still being able to get their feelings across is very true. The nervousness and apprehension on all of their faces whenever they were out for a job was very well done. The scenes between Eric Banas character and the French contacts (Papa and son) were awesome. Could've dealt with a little more Daniel Craig in the movie as he played the cool Brit part to a tee. The old dudes were all awesome and the bomb-maker did his part. ****
DMann2003 Posted January 12, 2006 Report Posted January 12, 2006 I really feel that this is one of Speilberg's best. The tension that built in scenes was pitch perfect (ex- the scene where Bana's in the hotel room next door to the man they're about to blow up, I was tense waiting for the bomb to go off). As for the criticisms that Speilberg lets the terrorists off too easy, I think people are missing that while Speilberg understands the need for action and yes at times retribution, given this conflict all he's asking is whether or not anything truly gets accomplished by the killings on both sides. Easily the best film I've seen all year.
genius33 Posted January 14, 2006 Report Posted January 14, 2006 i thought the scene where bana imagines the munich massacre while making love to his wife was incredibly well-done and one of the most moving scenes i have ever seen, period. maybe i'm naive, but i thought it wasn't cheesy at all. it was the culmination of the two most emotional storylines for avner... his desire to avenge munich and the resulting paranoia, and his great love for his family... it was beautiful.
Anakin Flair Posted January 15, 2006 Report Posted January 15, 2006 My only beef with the movie is that it wasn't entirely acurate. I've read 'One Day in September', which contains a few chapters about what happened after Munich, and at times the movie didn't gel with the facts that were laid out in the book. That, and the fact that both my friend and I agreed that they made the hit team look like a bunch of bumbling amateurs (which, though, they were). Other than that, it was an excellent movie.
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