Civil War | A24 | Alex Garland action thriller | 04/12/2024

[Porthos]

You know... how's this for a controversial stance.

 

Why don't we actually wait until we've seen the movie before we say whether or not it has controversial stances or not?

[WebSurfer]

10 minutes ago, Porthos said:

You know... how's this for a controversial stance.

 

Why don't we actually wait until we've seen the movie before we say whether or not it has controversial stances or not?

Cause people like judging things beforehand.

Remember Joker?

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, WebSurfer said:

Cause people like judging things beforehand.

Remember Joker?

 

Weeeellll, at least with Joker we had the actual script before hand!  And did for about a year or so, if memory serves.

 

But, yes, I do think the... hmmm... background politics of the US of A and Canada... shaped pre-release discourse surrounding that movie in the DOM market that wasn't seen as much in other markets where such things weren't at the forefront of political controversy.  

 

(also Not The Joker Thread)

((also also Not The Critics Are Biased Thread))

(((also also... well, you get the idea)

 

But that's also not unique!  A lot of films are viewed through the prisms of when and where they're released.  Otherwise films would never get re-evaluated as times (and tastes) change.

[AniNate]

42 minutes ago, Porthos said:

You know... how's this for a controversial stance.

 

Why don't we actually wait until we've seen the movie before we say whether or not it has controversial stances or not?

 

 

I've been repeating this refrain a lot in this thread, everyone's clearly just either gonna listen to it or not. 

 

What this is really about is everyone formed preconceived notions of the movie based on the trailer, their personal politics, and their opinion of the director. I suspect there were quite a few who were all too ready to jump on the schadenfreude bandwagon in the event this got panned at SXSW. Since it didn't, they have to pivot to digging into the reviews for a blurb that still gives a reason to dismiss the movie and save face.

 

 

Edited March 29 by AniNate

[AniNate]

Civil War film-maker Alex Garland: ‘In the US and UK there’s a lot to be very concerned about’ | Movies | The Guardian

 

Pretty interesting interview that does a deeper dive into Garland's psyche and politics. Apparently he is still in fact not really interested in lead directing anymore and is more in a support role on Warfare.

[crazydom]

25 minutes ago, AniNate said:

Civil War film-maker Alex Garland: ‘In the US and UK there’s a lot to be very concerned about’ | Movies | The Guardian

 

Pretty interesting interview that does a deeper dive into Garland's psyche and politics. Apparently he is still in fact not really interested in lead directing anymore and is more in a support role on Warfare.

The interview, much like the movie itself, says nothing. Garland has to go off record to say anything interesting. He doesn’t want to say anything, nor does his movie because he made a “civil war” movie scared about upsetting people.

 

It’s hilarious that so many of the positive reviews out of SXSW are from liberals reading an anti-MAGA stance into the movie that clearly doesn’t exist.

 

The reviews are imagining a movie that has something to say, when it has nothing to say beyond the fact that Alex Garland is a “both sides” coward and it should make everyone look more negatively on his previous work. 

Edited March 31 by crazydom

[AniNate]

5 minutes ago, crazydom said:

The interview, much like the movie itself, says nothing. Garland has to go off record to say anything interesting. He doesn’t want to say anything, nor does his movie because he made a “civil war” movie scared about upsetting people.

 

It’s hilarious that so many of the positive reviews out of SXSW are from liberals reading an anti-MAGA stance into the movie that clearly doesn’t exist.

 

The reviews are imagining a movie that has something to say, when it has nothing to say beyond the fact that Alex Garland is a “both sides” coward and it should make everyone look more negatively on his previous work. 

 

Seems like he has upset you well enough

[WittyUsername]

28 minutes ago, crazydom said:

The interview, much like the movie itself, says nothing. Garland has to go off record to say anything interesting. He doesn’t want to say anything, nor does his movie because he made a “civil war” movie scared about upsetting people.

 

It’s hilarious that so many of the positive reviews out of SXSW are from liberals reading an anti-MAGA stance into the movie that clearly doesn’t exist.

 

The reviews are imagining a movie that has something to say, when it has nothing to say beyond the fact that Alex Garland is a “both sides” coward and it should make everyone look more negatively on his previous work. 

Damn

[emoviefan]

The weekend thread for this should be fun. 

[titanic2187]

1 hour ago, crazydom said:

The interview, much like the movie itself, says nothing. Garland has to go off record to say anything interesting. He doesn’t want to say anything, nor does his movie because he made a “civil war” movie scared about upsetting people.

 

It’s hilarious that so many of the positive reviews out of SXSW are from liberals reading an anti-MAGA stance into the movie that clearly doesn’t exist.

 

The reviews are imagining a movie that has something to say, when it has nothing to say beyond the fact that Alex Garland is a “both sides” coward and it should make everyone look more negatively on his previous work. 

 

Nothing wrong of being a "both side" pleaser. In fact, people taking strong stance is the reason why our society has gotten so toxic nowadays. Everyone wants thing going their way, totally ignoring the fact the people are diverse in value.   

 

[DAJK]

30 minutes ago, titanic2187 said:

 

Nothing wrong of being a "both side" pleaser. In fact, people taking strong stance is the reason why our society has gotten so toxic nowadays. Everyone wants thing going their way, totally ignoring the fact the people are diverse in value.   

 

There are absolutely cases where this is definitely wrong, and where taking a “both sides” stance is a root cause of major issues. However, when it comes to an action movie that none of us have seen, I’m on team @Porthos here when I say we should just “wait and see” lol. It’s just a movie. 

[Porthos]

16 minutes ago, DAJK said:

There are absolutely cases where this is definitely wrong, and where taking a “both sides” stance is a root cause of major issues. However, when it comes to an action movie that none of us have seen, I’m on team @Porthos here when I say we should just “wait and see” lol. It’s just a movie. 

 

1 hour ago, Porthos said:

Another way to put it is that while [BLEEEEEP] once again becoming a social media socioeconomic football is all too real of a possibility, if only because some folks on social media have the impulse control of a kitten hopped up on catnip laced with speed

 

But I repeat myself.

 

(or to put it another way, the issue folks have isn't with Civil War per se, it's with Other People Holding Bad Wrong Opinions Who Must Be Fought On the Intrawebs)

[AniNate]

1 hour ago, Porthos said:

 

(or to put it another way, the issue folks have isn't with Civil War per se, it's with Other People Holding Bad Wrong Opinions Who Must Be Fought On the Intrawebs)

 

This is probably true in a broader sense once the movie has actually come out, but as far as the prerelease discourse I think it's mostly about people hating Alex Garland for reasons beyond my comprehension and looking for any reason whatsoever to dismiss this movie out of hand. 

 

I would venture to guess if Christopher Nolan were doing a film like this, even if he similarly led with the whole Texas/California thing he'd probably get a lot more benefit of the doubt. I do see him as also being much more inclined to take an "apolitical" stance on the idea as well.

 

 

Edited March 31 by AniNate

[excel1]

2 hours ago, titanic2187 said:

 

Nothing wrong of being a "both side" pleaser. In fact, people taking strong stance is the reason why our society has gotten so toxic nowadays. Everyone wants thing going their way, totally ignoring the fact the people are diverse in value.   

 

 

A reasonable both sides take covers more people than either extreme, though, which is the broad point being made. Deep down, both sides know 

Spoiler

Jan 6th is mostly DT's fault and was a complete embarrassment, the Biden economy is booming, Biden is old AF on paper only, etc

 

[Porthos]

14 minutes ago, AniNate said:

 

This is probably true in a broader sense once the movie has actually come out, but as far as the prerelease discourse I think it's mostly about people hating Alex Garland for reasons beyond my comprehension and looking for any reason whatsoever to dismiss this movie out of hand. 

 

Oh, I think it is very related to the above observation.  It's just in this case "people hating on Alex Garland" for not engaging in Culture War Churn and therefore concluding that his movie will be milquetoast/uncontroversial/timid.

 

Personally, as I said, I would wait to see just what the movie delivers before concluding it "has nothing to say" or indeed isn't any offering any commentary on Modern Society/Politics, implicit or otherwise.

[AniNate]

It's funny how as I think the movie's biggest cheerleader here, I seem to be far less interested in digging into the glowing critic reviews than the prejudiced detractors are.  

[DAJK]

I’m just more curious in this movie because it’s made by a non-American. And as a non-American myself I’m far more interested to see a non-American’s take on the United States.

[poweranimals]

This is definitely one of those "I'll wait for the reviews before I decide if I'll watch it" kind of movies. It seems like it could be interesting but the trailers haven't won me over quite yet.

Edited April 1 by poweranimals

[AniNate]

20 minutes ago, poweranimals said:

This is definitely one of those "I'll wait for the reviews before I decide if I'll watch it" kind of movies. It seems like it could be interesting but the trailers haven't won me over quite yet.

 

Well there's almost 40 out now

 

Civil War | Rotten Tomatoes

[poweranimals]

8 minutes ago, AniNate said:

 

Well there's almost 40 out now

 

Civil War | Rotten Tomatoes

Well then. I guess I'll probably see it then. 😂