JFK

[baumer]

Review discuss and have fun!

[acsc1312]

Hmm...well this is definitely a well made and terrificly detailed movie. At 3.5 hours, it goes into much detail with conspiracies. I do think Costner was great, and it was nice to see Tommy Lee Jones in a different role than he usually plays. The editing and cinematography are phenomenal. It's definitely one of/if not the best edited film I've seen. All in all a good viewing experience. Still undecided where this falls for grading for me.A/A-

[baumer]

This is my number 5 film of all time.

10/10

No one is saying that this film is exactly what happened on Nov. 22nd 1963. Nobody is saying that this is the solution to the great mystery, but what Stone is saying is that this is one possible alternative to one of the grossest lies ever told to the American people and the rest of the world. People that attack this film and dismiss it for being propoganda are missing the point. If this is propoganda, then what the hell is the Warren Report that says that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone? A comic strip?

Forget politics for just one second and just look at the beauty of this film. Because that is one thing that is lost in all the politics of this film, we forget what a truly incredible work of art this is. You will never find a film that is better acted, better photographed, better directed or edited than this. You can't. This film is perfection on every level that is film. Now you can believe what you want to believe, but what you can't deny is how the film makes you feel. And for me, it made me mad that a crime like this could be committed. Is there really anyone out there that really thinks that LHO could really fire off three shots that quickly, 5.6 seconds with the acuracy that he did? Does anyone not find it strange that the final head shot caused his head to go back and to the left, not down and to the right ( which would happen if he was shot from the book depository )? We all know the inconsistencies with the case that are quite factual, the ones that are not embellished by Stone. Kennedy's brain did disappear, the limo was ordered clean so that evidence was impossible to come by. The parade route was changed, the protective bubble was removed, a proper sweep of the area was not conducted. People's testimonies were altered on FBI reports, David Ferry lied to Garrison, the Warren report was run by guys that Kennedy had once fired, suspicious deaths of people that testified in the Warren Report happened frequently, and the magic bullet theory is impossible. Seven wounds, one bullet, that is quite impossible. So if you take into account all that is irrefutable about the case and the movie, why do so many people get mad when an alternative theory is presented. Surely no one really buys into the Warren Report. Do they? How about Oswald being shot by David Ferry? Too many strange things surrounding this case for it to be closed as easily as it was. So now Stone comes along and has a different theory, a brave one, and people critisize him for it. Well at least he and Garrison were willing to look in other corners for the truth. Someone had to try.

To talk of the film in parts is futile because there is not one part of this film that lacks. The ensemble cast from Costner as Garrison, to John Candy as Dino, to Joe Pesci as a overly hyper David Ferry to Kevin Bacon as a Willy O' Keefe who thinks that Mr. Garrison is a good looking man, down to Michael Rooker, Wayne Knight, Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Jack Lemon, Walter Mathau, Donald Sutherland and Gary Oldman, every performance in here is remarkable. They make you feel like you know these characters. What Oliver Stone has done here is make one of the greatest if not the greatest motion picture I have ever seen. I still believe that Jaws is the best ever, but JFK is a close second. Except for it's politics, this film is not open for discussion in terms of how good a MOVIE it is. Strictly on a film level, the film is flawless.

Finally, there is one shot in this film that I think is the greatest shot ever in the history of the movies. At the very end of Garrison's speech, he says the words " It's up to you." And as he does, the camera gets level with his eyes, so that he is now speaking with every person that watched this film. And it is up to us to make the decision. Are we going to swallow all that we have been fed by the government over the years, or are we going to accept the fact that there is more to the story that what the Warren Report says there is? Maybe not Stone's version, but something. At least give Stone credit, he is the only one really brave enough to tackle something like this and live to tell about it. I'd love to see more films like this that question our government. Because they make you think. And that is always a good thing.

Oliver Stone has made an incredible film and it is one that should be watched at least once by everyone, especially by young people that don't know much about the case or the assassination. I was 19 when this film came out. I saw it and it changed my life. It made me open my eyes to lies and deceit that our government is capable of doing. And that is not reserved to the American government, it could be the Canadian, Australian, German whatever. It is important to question the official version of what is fed to us. And if you dig a little deeper, you will see there is always an alternative to what they want you to believe. This film opened my eyes to that. And I am a better person because of it.

[tawasal]

Great movie. 9/9.

[acsc1312]

It definitely opened up my mind to the other possibilities that were out there concerning the assassination. I never really knew much other than Oswald did it. After seeing this, I'll do my own research and see what else is out there. It'll be interesting come 2029 to see if the archives will be available to the general public.

[acsc1312]

Great post, Baumer. I thought the exact same thing with the camera level on Garrison's last line. Perfect. The scene with X is one of the best moments I've ever seen. I think after I see this a couple more times it'll definitely bump up on my all time favorites.

[Warhorse]

Excellent movie thats bold beyond words. The controversey surrounding this movie, well, I don't think there has been a movie to equal it. Regardless, story well told, cast that was beyond epic, and like many said, flawless editing. Masterpiece.

[75Live]

I was taken to see this film by my Honors History teacher at the time. She took the history club, which I wasn't a part of, but since I was the only student in her class not part of the club, she let me tag along anyway.

I do enjoy the film. It is well made and acted. I am not going to get into the inaccuracies or anything as they are well documented, but that doesn't change how good the film really is. It didn't affect me as much as some as my dad was heavy into the whole thing so I had books and such all around when I was a kid. So I read up a lot before the movie was even being done. But I can definitely see how this movie could influence people. Overall, if people were influenced in the right way, then that is a testament to the movie.

Giving this an A is easily done.

[baumer]

I don't think anyone should take this as fact. This is an opinion and a bit of Hollywood thrown in. Like Sutherland's character was based on a letter that Garrison got years later. What the film does is it shows how much of a farce the Warren Commission was. Their investigation into the events on November 22nd 1963 were amateurish at best. And if that is the case, then because this film shows more of the possibilities, then it means the case should have been reopened.

[Warhorse]

We were discussing this at work today, and one of the true incidents popped up, and I'm curious to what you all think was happening, Right after Kennedy is shot, Jackie o is seen reaching out of the back of the car, and there are three speculations going on. One, is that she's trying to reach for a part of her husband's brain that blew out, another was she was trying to bail, and then the last and most plausible, she was just trying to help the security trailing behind get into the car to help out.So, what do you all think happened?

[DAR]

It's really a fantastic movie. And the editing and cinematography are some of the best ever. The last hour is among the most riveting I've seen. A+

[baumer]

We were discussing this at work today, and one of the true incidents popped up, and I'm curious to what you all think was happening, Right after Kennedy is shot, Jackie o is seen reaching out of the back of the car, and there are three speculations going on. One, is that she's trying to reach for a part of her husband's brain that blew out, another was she was trying to bail, and then the last and most plausible, she was just trying to help the security trailing behind get into the car to help out.So, what do you all think happened?

I always thought she was reaching for his brain.

[BK007]

A

baumer has said it all.

I do have to wonder though, how on Earth are there people who believe there isn't a conspiracy? Even if everything else is doubtful, the government says the bullet caused 7 injuries and the bullet that offed JFK came from the back so his head fell backwards, the force of the bullet pushed his head back, are you fucking joking?

I know I shouldn't bring it up here and spoil the film's thread, but people with their naivety and closed eyes piss me off. How pathetic some people are.

[baumer]

One can't watch this without bringing up the conspiracy element to it. This is before the powers that be got to Stone and made him a puppet.

[BK007]

^ When did that happen baumer?

[jb007]

One of my favorite movies. Oliver Stone and Kevin Costner are at the peak of their respective crafts.

There are several incredible moments in the movie. I agree with Baumer's review 100%

A+

[baumer]

^ When did that happen baumer?

I'm not sure when, but he has changed over the last ten years. I even remember an interview with him where he basically said that he was way too paranoid when he made JFK and that it's nothing but a work of fiction. And when' the last time Stone made a controversial film? He used to be the voice of minority, now he's just another film maker.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I love this movie. It has great directing, acting, editing,  and cinematography. One the top films of the 90s. 

A

[baumer]

Great to see so many people praising this film.

Edited September 9, 2013 by baumer

[The Stingray]

A+.

 

Like 3 hours long, and with a crazy amount of information to process, yet it keeps you glued to the screen the whole time. Should have won Best Picture.