W. (Oliver Stone, 2008)

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Fletch F. Fletch · Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:27 pm

Stone's film will be opening the Austin Film Festival.

An interview with Stone.

flyonthewall2983 · Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:20 pm

Fascinating interview, Fletch. Sad to read about how Pinkville was done in by the studio.

#178 Post by **Jeff** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 12:52 am

New TV spot is pretty hilarious.

flyonthewall2983 · Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:03 am

Best use of that song, ever.

Murdoch · #180 Post by **Murdoch** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:40 am

I like how George Sr. is Poppy Bush.

Highway 61 · #181 Post by **Highway 61** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:10 am

flyonthewall2983 wrote:Best use of that song, ever.

Indeed. Brilliant. Even if this is shit, I'm getting more and more excited to see it.

#182 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:18 am

PG-13? Is that a first for Stone?

flyonthewall2983 · Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:20 am

Actually, a 2nd. World Trade Center is as well. Wait...this is PG-13? I know it said so in the Huffington trailer, but I can't quite believe that.

Highway 61 · #184 Post by **Highway 61** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:31 am

...and just like that, I'm less excited.

Grand Illusion · #185 Post by **Grand Illusion** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:46 am

Drug use alone should've pushed this to a hard R.

#186 Post by **domino harvey** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 2:49 am

People under 17 can't vote, why would they be courting kids?

tavernier · #187 Post by **tavernier** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:22 am

I'm sure Ollie will say shit like he wants to teach the kids something about history.

Fletch F. Fletch · Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:08 pm

I'm definitely getting more of the satire vibe that Stone was speaking of in that interview with this new TV spot. Looks promising!

Antoine Doinel · #189 Post by **Antoine Doinel** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:35 pm

Here's the new trailer inexplicably cued to the Talking Heads. Seems more like a farce than a satire.

#190 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:46 pm

Isn't that was linked a few posts up?

flyonthewall2983 · Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:55 pm

Nope, it's basically an extended version of that TV spot.

Tom Hagen · #192 Post by **Tom Hagen** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:54 pm

Did anyone else notice that the new trailer uses all of Maureen Dowd's cutesy nicknames for the Bushies? It's amazing that her writing has reached that level of cultural saturation, and it's ironic that her nicknames are being used to sell this farce in light of the epic, hilarious takedown of Stone's Nixon that she wrote 13 years ago.

#193 Post by **domino harvey** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:58 pm

Tom Hagen wrote: the epic, hilarious takedown of Stone's Nixon that she wrote 13 years ago.

Bob Woodward observed, "I guess everybody gets the psychoanalyst they deserve, and Nixon got Oliver Stone."

Brilliant

LQ · #194 Post by LQ » Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:36 pm

An oscar for Brolin?

Cronenfly · #195 Post by **Cronenfly** » Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:27 am

LQ wrote:An oscar for Brolin?

Bale as Bush? I hope those screen tests make it onto the DVD...

Fletch F. Fletch · Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:19 pm

The Guardian interviews Stone.

Antoine Doinel · Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:18 pm

Todd McCarthy of Variety posts his review and it's not good.

Stone and Weiser make no attempt to cover historical bases; Major episodes, including political campaigns, business alliances and elections, are completely omitted. Most scenes are devoted to illuminating particular aspects of George W. examined in pithy interludes are his recklessness, people skills, insecurities, reliance upon Laura, impatience, belief that good will prevail and unwillingness to deviate once he's made up his mind. Stone stands back as if to strenuously avoid the appearance of judging his subject even as he pigeonholes him psychologically.

Docu-like feel of the latter stretch is emphasized by the sudden use of extensive real footage of Iraq, the "Mission Accomplished" aircraft carrier stunt and a Bush speech before the joint Houses of Congress, with the actors blended in with actual politicos. Pic thus enters TV territory, to its detriment, and Stone has no choice but to end on an ambiguously fanciful note that can mean anything you want it to mean.

kaujot · #198 Post by **kaujot** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:10 pm

Antoine Doinel wrote:Todd McCarthy of Variety posts his review and it's not good.

Is there such a thing of as a good review in Variety? I don't read them unless it's in a link from here, really, and I can't recall ever being sent to a positive review.

foliagecop · #199 Post by **foliagecop** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:56 pm

To be honest, that review isn't too bad. McCarthy certainly doesn't come across as a Stone-basher, which is refreshing, and he does concede a handful of positive points. So I suppose it could have been worse.

Still, there does seem a distinct lack of trademark Stone-isms in the film, both thematically and aesthetically. A trade-off for Middle American bums-on-seats perhaps? Personally, I can't see it. Not from Ollie the perennial maverick.

Whatever the reason, and however positive/negative the reviews, I'll watch the film and judge it for myself.

aox · #200 Post by **aox** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:29 pm

foliagecop wrote:Whatever the reason, and however positive/negative the reviews, I'll watch the film and judge it for myself.

I have found with any Stone film that is political in nature, this is the only sensible course of action.

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W. (Oliver Stone, 2008)