Movie Recommendations/Want To See List

[Slateman]

True... but in a dynamic environment... you as well as I know that there will be a lot of gaps that need to be filled. The casual observer does not understand how significant of a role that the "Fog of War" can play in a five minute period, let alone an extended firefight while egressing over difficult terrain. Luttrell wasn't taking notes. He was laying hate and discontent while trying his damnedest to make sure his three injured team members made it out. I will grant him the luxury of having to fill in some gaps in the time line with conjecture.

Eh, I think the reason it was played up was political. It'll make for a feel good American movie. Many faceless/nameless brown skinned bad guys who hate America will die from precision shots.

[mitlen]

Eh, I think the reason it was played up was political. It'll make for a feel good American movie. Many faceless/nameless brown skinned bad guys who hate America will die from precision shots.

You're so cynical Slateman.   

[Slateman]

You're so cynical Slateman.   

I just think the AAR was very forgiving. Couple of huge mistakes were made in that op. Mistakes that should not have been made by a unit of that caliber. Mistakes made most likely due to outside intereference.

If you look at a map and see where they put their OP, there's simply no reason to have it there. No logical reason. They also should have killed the boy. Sucks to say, but it should have been done.

[mitlen]

I just think the AAR was very forgiving. Couple of huge mistakes were made in that op. Mistakes that should not have been made by a unit of that caliber. Mistakes made most likely due to outside intereference.

If you look at a map and see where they put their OP, there's simply no reason to have it there. No logical reason. They also should have killed the boy. Sucks to say, but it should have been done.

Absolutely agree.   When I was working, nightshfit guy (vet) and I would often talk about the placement of OPs ..  particularly in Afghanistan.   How many were placed near or within enemy mountain positions?    Not just that, in the valleys below them.     It almost bordered on criminal neglect by the brass creating the missions.

[Slateman]

Absolutely agree.   When I was working, nightshfit guy (vet) and I would often talk about the placement of OPs ..  particularly in Afghanistan.   How many were placed fortified mountain positions?    It almost bordered on criminal neglect by the brass creating the missions.

Eh, an OP is a vauge term.

I can take over a building and turn the roof in to an OP. I can also hike a mountain and spend 10 days there and it's an OP.

My issue was where they placed the OP was between the two villages. Villages that obviously walk animals (like goats) and therefore increases your chance of discovery.

[mitlen]

Eh, an OP is a vauge term.

I can take over a building and turn the roof in to an OP. I can also hike a mountain and spend 10 days there and it's an OP.

My issue was where they placed the OP was between the two villages. Villages that obviously walk animals (like goats) and therefore increases your chance of discovery.

It's pretty poor when two old vets sitting around in the early morning at work can look at a position and see it was doomed.    Even we knew OPs shouldn't be purposely placed in some of those spots.   I'm thinking more of the spots chosen for the standard combat troops.    We'd sit there and say, "What were they thinking?"     It was more than 20/20 hindsight.    We just knew it was a bad idea and we were two old draftee vets.

[Slateman]

It's pretty poor when two old vets sitting around in the early morning at work can look at a position and see it was doomed.    Even we knew OPs shouldn't be purposely placed in some of those spots.   I'm thinking more of the spots chosen for the standard combat troops.    We'd sit there and say, "What were they thinking?"     It was more than 20/20 hindsight.    We just knew it was a bad idea and we were two old draftee vets.

That's what I don't understand. You look at that position on a map or a photo and go, not there. I can only conclude that:

1. They didn't have any good pictures of the area and one of the villages didn't appear on the map. This is possible, but unlikely. And a quick reconoitor would have established the other position.

2. There were no other viable options for an OP. I've looked. Maybe.

3. They're just freaking stupid and somehow got all the way to a team without getting busted. Doubftul.

4. Pressure from above in combination of number 1 and 2.

[mitlen]

That's what I don't understand. You look at that position on a map or a photo and go, not there. I can only conclude that:

1. They didn't have any good pictures of the area and one of the villages didn't appear on the map. This is possible, but unlikely. And a quick reconoitor would have established the other position.

2. There were no other viable options for an OP. I've looked. Maybe.

3. They're just freaking stupid and somehow got all the way to a team without getting busted. Doubftul.

4. Pressure from above in combination of number 1 and 2.

As an old biased EM, I don't rule out number 3.   In fact, I lean that way in conjunction with pressure.   I read a book by David Hackworth and in it he told the story about the four leadership characteristic types the Prussians said existed:

1)   Smart
2)   Dumb
3)   Assertive
4)   Lazy

Every leader has two of these traits:

Smart and Assertive   ...   became great leaders
Smart and Lazy  ...   were the innovators; always looking for an easier and better way to do things
Dumb and Lazy   ...   unfortunate products of any system/society
Dumb and Assertive   ..   these are the leaders that will get you killed in military leadership roles  (in civilian life they're more fun to observe)

My experiences tell me that there are a lot of Dumb and Assertive people in leadership positions.     

[Slateman]

[Mathguy]

"The Butler" is a great movie.  I didn't want to get to the restroom for fear of missing something

[Lintyfresh85]

So disappointed. I grew up on the original.

[The Chief]

So disappointed. I grew up on the original.

Really?  Aside from the way toned down gore (predictable), I think it actually looks reasonably okay.

[Lintyfresh85]

Really?  Aside from the way toned down gore (predictable), I think it actually looks reasonably okay.

The black suit... the human hand... the talking to the kid while in the suit. The super jumping ability. All things that made me unhappy.

I'm sure I'll still see it as Sam Jackson, Keaton and Oldman all look solid in it... Just hated how they went out of their way to crap on the old suit, which looks amazing, even though it's heavily CGI'd in this remake.

[Vega]

Looks bad, but it will probably be better than the third one.

[Slateman]

Saw Riddick

Feels like Pitch Black. Also, you see some Katee nip

[cmdterps44]

Saw Riddick

Feels like Pitch Black. Also, you see some Katee nip

Feels like Pitch Black is a good sign. Such a great movie.

[Coladar]

Riddick is the first movie I went to see in theatres this year, and it was as good as I could've hoped for. Absolutely Pitch Black-like.

I think I commented a long time ago how much I loved the concept of Necromongers from Chronicles. Given the idea of death, a cult being born worshiping death/viewing life as an aberration in the universe is so amazingly natural. I was in awe every second of extra footage we got with Riddick as the new Necromonger leader, and with Urban back in his role. I was just hopijg and praying every second of the movie that they'd not end it without Riddick going back and beating the ever living crap out of Urban. So sorry that, after waiting a decade for resolution, they didn't expand on that to end Riddick instead of just having him escape.

That said, this is Diesel's passion project. The box office is decent enough for Riddick, it'll turn profitable soon, so hopefully a fourth film is already in the works. Maybe like Riddick went back to Pitch Black, a fourth could resume the Chronicles plots/themes and have that final Necromonger conflict and Riddick's search and discovery of Furiya at long last. I definitely think a fourth Riddick is inevitable considering the profitability of this film.

I get some of the dislike for the convoluted nature of Chronicles, but come on... those brief minutes with Riddick as the Necromonger overlord, just awesome. Chronicles sucked because of the PG-13 more than anything - the R of Riddick is absolutely necessary for this character. I'll take several more minutes of hot nekkid Necromonger chicks any day of the week - if you'd had a bunch of beautifully breasted nekkid Necromongers in Chronicles, it wouldn't have been nearly as hated as it was. So here's hoping for a fourth, R-Rated Chronicles of Riddick followup.

[Lintyfresh85]

Riddick has a long way to go to be profitable.

[DPMOmaha]

Had a fee preview of HBO this weekend and caught Ted.  A lot funnier than I was expecting it to be.  Most comedies these days aren't funny to me, but that one was, or at least hit the spot at the time.

[cmdterps44]

Had a fee preview of HBO this weekend and caught Ted.  A lot funnier than I was expecting it to be.  Most comedies these days aren't funny to me, but that one was, or at least hit the spot at the time.

It was a pretty funny movie. I was surprised as well. I also loved when he was kidnapped and was with Ribisi and his kid.

[DPMOmaha]

It was a pretty funny movie. I was surprised as well. I also loved when he was kidnapped and was with Ribisi and his kid.

That was ceepilarios.

[cmdterps44]

That was ceepilarios.

It was so weird but the jokes made by Ted had me dying. I really enjoyed a lot of the scenes like the party scene or the boss being a douche but the jokes were awesome.

[mitlen]

"The Family"   ...  Wasn't worth the $19.50 for the missus and me.    Thin plot and lots of violence in spots.    That's not a bad thing but it didn't work with this film.    I think they tried to make it humorous but without Jones, De Niro and Pfeiffer, this flick would be on at 3 AM on WB50.

[Lintyfresh85]

Just got out of Gravity in 3D. Easily the most beautifully shot movie I've ever seen.

You can tell it was made by someone who had a passion for the project and that only helped to make it an even better film.

[The Chief]