My Right Wing Brother is Nagging me ABout this New Film ACT OF VALOR

[romantico]

I am a movie buff. I go to the movies a lot and love talking movies (both old classics and new movies) My brother and I use to share this love of film, but since he has become right wing he hates Hollywood BIG TIME! So, movies are rarely if ever discussed.

For the past week he has been nagging me about this new film called ACT OF VALOR. I had never heard of it so I asked him who was in it. He said, 'NOT Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, or any of the looney liberals you like". I had honestly not heard of this film and I follow movies pretty closely. So, I looked it up and watched the trailer. Looks like another NAVY Seal movie. My question is, who is behind it? My brother would not be pushing it so much or talking it up so much if there was not some kind of political motive behind it.

Anyone hear of this film or know the real story behind it?

[Bruce Wayne]

1. It's a hybrid fiction/documentary starring real Navy SEALs.

It's a clever idea for a movie and certainly saves the producers money on stuntmen.

[Noodleboy13]

2. It's a SEAL movie with actual SEAL's in it.

If he wants to see a movie with actual soldiers in actual combat I suggest that you recommend the documentary "Restrepo."


peace,
Noodleboy

[TexasTowelie]

3. The movie will be released on February 24. Here is a review.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Rotten-Week-Predicting-Act-Valor-Wanderlust-More-Reviews-29516.html

Beginning with this line: “The story is fictional, but the weapons and tactics are real...” and effectively devolving from that already low point, the trailer is equal parts military recruitment video, cheesy action flick and contrived love story full of slow motion walk-aways, and “deep” inner turmoil along with a crap load of explosions, sky-diving, shootouts and good old terrorist hunting in all the usual bad guy places (yachts, the jungle, probably the Middle East). It’s a Red State Republican’s wet dream.

New-ish directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh tackle this “realistic” look at the life of a SEAL and while I’m sure the sentiment is accurate, it appears it might be a bit heavy handed. Some reviews floating around the interweb confirm this feeling, with many folks praising the entertaining action sequences, but scoffing at the cheesy storylines, manufactured relationships and cinematic military cliches. I think this movie turns off most critics (don’t come get me SEALs, I’m a good guy, I swear.) The Rotten Watch for Act of Valor is 29%.

[romantico]

4. OK Thanks!

Thanks! I assumed the SEALS bashed Obama or the Democrats for the entire movie or something. The trailer made it look like just another Navy Seal film. I've so many films like this before, it just didn't really stand out to me. I did however mention to him my interest in the Seal Team 6 movie about the killing of Bin Laden. Of course, he said he had no interest in seeing it because it would more than likely be pro Obama and the film would be made by typical liberals. Nice,huh? He hates a film that has not even been shot because it is about something Obama did that Bush,a Republican, could not.

Anyway, thanks for clearing things up.

[unionworks]

5. War Movies

...are my favorite. "Acts of Valor" sounds like anotherthin plot jingoistic recruitment flick. For real war movie with real plot, watch "Decision Before Dawn" with Richard Basehart, 1951. For something newer, "Enemy at the Gate" was awfully damn good!

[HeiressofBickworth]

6. I find it interesting

that right-wing types are so fascinated by violent death movies (and probably computer games). They are the ones who have never been to war, are angry about their lives in general and have no empathy for others. But they want to see people in extreme danger, injured and killed. I worry about this blood-lust and how it would affect their votes in an election. We already have a couple of Republicans who want to go to war with Iran. Another country that has done nothing to us.

[Incitatus]

7. Did he see it before its release or is he all hot and bothered by a movie he hasn't even seen?

[romantico]

8. I

I can't be sure but my guess he has heard other freeper types talk about it. He listens to AM Hate radio, gets his news from Fox, World Net Daily, Newsmax, Drudge,etc. He says he does not like Alex Jones but he listens to him ALL THE TIME. All the right wingers like Corsi, Dennis Miller, who he swears are fair and not typical conservatives (he calls himself an independent and claims that I,a liberal,is obsessed with labeling people politically.

So, I have a hunch he has heard the film discussed on some radio show. He loves to be clever and get me into something thinking I am clueless. For example, a couple years ago the TV series remake of V was rumored to be very anti Obama. I had not heard about this until the day the show aired and was excited to see it. SO was he,just for different reasons. He kept on telling me how he has heard this show is great and how it has such an important message and how people who have seen it just love it. I took him on his word thinking it was just a fun earth invasion show.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-11-03/entertainment/chi-tc-tvcolumn-v-1102-1103nov03_1_blood-and-guts-war-story-ships-from-outer-space-humans

Then I began hearing about the anti Obama message and realized what he was doing. I watched the show and thought it was okay but my brother hated it. Apparently,they were not as clear as he had hoped or they did not bash Obama as much as he wanted. He stopped talking about it right after that.

So, I just assumed the same thing was with this film.

[Canis Mala]

9. Here's my recommendation...

The two of you pop some popcorn and sit down to watch The Tillman Story.

[Populist_Prole]

10. My father is like that: Has to filter even leisure time activities through his politics

His list of favorite movies read like a list of "movies conservatives like". Even stuff that is absolutely categorically apolitical turns him off if it's not overtly pro-US feel-good conservative bullshit. He thinks he's so goddamned smart but when watching a movie where the plot or symbolism isn't spoon-fed, I have to answer his stupid questions like I was watching some idie film with a 10 year old.

It drives me up a wall to see people wholesale reject stuff they could otherwise enjoy because they just can't put their politics aside for even a nanosecond. Jerkweeds.