I will shut up now Mr. Spielberg. Thank you for WAR HORSE.

[the fat one]

I've been critical of late, what with the War of the Worlds and the Tom Cruise and the Falling Skies and whatever. I will shut up now and please do whatever you need to do if that's what it takes to make what could be the best movie ever made.

[rhinocaster]

I've been critical of late, what with the War of the Worlds and the Tom Cruise and the Falling Skies and whatever. I will shut up now and please do whatever you need to do if that's what it takes to make what could be the best movie ever made.

Really?

I thought it had potential based on the previews I've seen but my wife was in facepalm at the same time.

I hope it's a good as you say. :)

[ford]

I liked Falling Skies first season...

I can say I've probably talked to at least ten people that have seen War Horse and almost all of them LOVED it....

I've read the book, so I know the potential of the story.... I'm still amazed that made it into a successful Broadway musical though..ha.

[GAT]

We saw the Adventures of TinTin and we all loved it. Spielberg still has it!

[crosse79]

Just saw the trailer - wow - the cinematography is something to behold.

[beatnik]

I saw it yesterday and if it was not for dr pepper and coffee I would have been asleep w/in the first two minutes. I apologize if you liked it or are anticipating seeing it but I found it trite and formulaic with a very predictable story. However with that said some of the minor characters were likable but the main kid was so unimpressive, I almost missed him when he reappears later in the story.

I guess if you are a real horse enthusiast you will enjoy the film. I did not like it at all and as they say ymmv.

Beatnik

[the fat one]

A lot of folks think this is some kind of Lassie thing. It ain't.

[scuff]

We saw the Adventures of TinTin and we all loved it. Spielberg still has it!

+1 and respected the books.

[the fat one]

I haven't seen a Tin-tin comic in forever, but I remember the Tin-tin tv show from my days as a crumb-snatching urchin. It came on after Beanie & Cecil the seasick sea serpent.

But make no mistake; WAR HORSE is a WAR movie, and it ranks among the best of them, from the bridges too far and River Kwai, from Platoon to Full Metal Jacket to Private Ryan.

To the "trite and formulaic" crowd: it is told in vignettes, a la 1981's Heavy Metal, a cartoon based on different stories from the magazine of the same name. I don't think a war movie told in vignettes from the perspective of a horse is trite, formulaic, or close to ordinary--not in concept, not on any level.

And although it is told in vignettes -- ie brief chapters with completely different characters in each, because the War Horse only knows them briefly -- and we only know the characters in each vignette for just a few scenes, we still take them home from the theater with us, and we remember them -- the young horse soldier, the two young brothers who ditched the service, the little girl and her grandfather -- and we care what World War I did to them.

And the photography. Holy smokes.


Heh heh. "Trite and formulaic." Well, no. It's a masterpiece from one of the masters.

[rbnum1fan]

The attention to detail for the military scenes was SUPERB!!! The german infantrymen actually had GEW 98 Mausers ,The Uhlan uniforms were OUTSTANDINGLY correct( i just wish they had more screen time) and it was VERY interesting to see on the chest of one British soldier a DCM and the QSA with two clasps!

The only things i can nitpick is that in one scene set in 1914 the Germans were wearing Stalhelms

[John Thigpen]

The attention to detail for the military scenes was SUPERB!!! The german infantrymen actually had GEW 98 Mausers ,The Uhlan uniforms were OUTSTANDINGLY correct( i just wish they had more screen time) and it was VERY interesting to see on the chest of one British soldier a DCM and the QSA with two clasps!

The only things i can nitpick is that in one scene set in 1914 the Germans were wearing Stalhelms

OK...I know what a Mauser is, but understood virtually nothing else of your post. It's good to know that it's historically accurate.

[rob2001]

I'm getting mixed reviews from people I know who have seen it.

[iamdavea]

The 25 minute battle-for-the-bridge sequence at the end of Saving Private Ryan is the most urgent and compelling piece of filmmaking I have ever seen. No other living director could have managed it with such precision and consummate skill. For that alone, he is in my HOF.

[RedRockRoy]

I only saw the trailers while going to see The Decendents (good movie) and thought WH looked terrible. I felt bad for the horse because they made him do two tours.

[JamesT]

I loved Beanie and Cecil. I am sure WH has great cinematography if nothing else.

[shane88]

i've only seen the tv ad - looks like a lotta peeps shootin @ a horse

[Timmo]

Well, I saw WAR HORSE and really liked it.

I was "entertained"......that is WHY we go to the movies in the first place right?

:dunno

But hey, that's me....:rotflmao

[coralreefer]

does it compare spellbinder wise, with Secretariat's 1973 Belmont Stakes, the singularly greatest sports feat in history?

[Madison]

My wife and six of her girl friends saw it a couple nights ago. Said the whole audience stood and clapped at the end. Don't see that often at the movies...but then, I haven't been to the movies in 20 years...maybe that's normal.:huh

[ChazFromCali]

My wife and six of her girl friends saw it a couple nights ago. Said the whole audience stood and clapped at the end. Don't see that often at the movies...but then, I haven't been to the movies in 20 years...maybe that's normal.:huh

I think it's just gratitude for a movie that is not pure crap, which is usually the case. From the reviews in this thread, I may go see it. I got a couple free movie tix for Christmas. I'd never actually pay to see a movie nowdays.

[Blue Light]

I've been cooped up in the house way too long... I wanted to see a BIG OL' OLD-FASHIONED EPIC.... and that's what I got. It was epic.

Kind of solemn, too, and portentous and storybookish.

But it was epic. But above all, it was a TOUGH movie to watch at times if you love horses, and I love horses. Two or three scenes were really grueling. It wasn't until after I got home and went to the web that I realized that one of the big falling scenes was done CGI. But I sure had no idea it was special effects when I was watching the movie, and I was damn near having a heart attack.

The depiction of early World War I fighting was interesting. I'd like to know how accurate it was.

[ChazFromCali]

I went and saw it. I liked it. My only quibble is the last scene. Mega-homage to 1940's films a la The Grapes of Wrath or something, with the extreme late afternoon/dying light. Pretty, but overdone IMO.

[Blue Light]

My only quibble is the last scene. Mega-homage to 1940's films a la The Grapes of Wrath or something, with the extreme late afternoon/dying light. Pretty, but overdone IMO.

Wel, Grapes of Wrath was black and white. I get what you mean, though. There was a serious John Ford homage happening in the farm scene. The crimson red landscape was more like Duel in the Sun:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tw5hXrbf1kg/TBrKlOp2ajI/AAAAAAAAALA/NvdLe0-dZpg/s1600/DS2.jpg

[Jim S]

We enjoyed it. A bit long but a good story albeit it did feel cliched for some reason. I wept like a little girl towards the end. I'm the biggest softie in movies. There are a few comic genius moments here, too. The WW I scenes were typical Spielberg war scenes: brutal.

[captain_bob]

I'm going tomorrow... can't wait.

[MajorDude]

Want to take the family to see this. Is it appropriate for a 6 year old?

[Lukeling]

The attention to detail for the military scenes was SUPERB!!! The german infantrymen actually had GEW 98 Mausers ,The Uhlan uniforms were OUTSTANDINGLY correct( i just wish they had more screen time) and it was VERY interesting to see on the chest of one British soldier a DCM and the QSA with two clasps!

The only things i can nitpick is that in one scene set in 1914 the Germans were wearing Stalhelms

Pffft Stalhems !!! What was Spielberg thinking, a 70 million dollar budget & he stuffs that up !!! Clown ....... What are Stalhems? :p

[Jim S]

Want to take the family to see this. Is it appropriate for a 6 year old?
Iffy for two reasons: some war scenes are rough and it's long movie. With trailers it's about 2-1/2 hours.

[MajorDude]

Iffy for two reasons: some war scenes are rough and it's long movie. With trailers it's about 2-1/2 hours.

Cool...going to leave the boys home then...thanks!

[captain_bob]

Pffft Stalhems !!! What was Spielberg thinking, a 70 million dollar budget & he stuffs that up !!! Clown ....... What are Stalhems? :p

This is an M16 Stalhelm from my collection. It would be correct for 1916 to the end of the war.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j258/bobcrisman/WWI%20German%20Helmet/100_2897.jpg

[captain_bob]

Great movie by the way. Hard to keep a dry eye during that flick.

[rbnum1fan]

Pffft Stalhems !!! What was Spielberg thinking, a 70 million dollar budget & he stuffs that up !!! Clown ....... What are Stalhems? :p

Stalhelm is german for Steel Helmet. I m a WW1 nerd of the highest order,and it was really cool to me that as the timeline progressed,so did the uniforms and helmet details. i was impressed with the details of the German Camo Helmets in the Somme 1918 scenes

[nitehawk55]

Wife and I have horses so some of it was hard for us to watch . All in all an excellent movie and the attention to detail was as well .

[Lukeling]

This is an M16 Stalhelm from my collection. It would be correct for 1916 to the end of the war.

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j258/bobcrisman/WWI%20German%20Helmet/100_2897.jpg

well there you go, you learn something new everyday !!
I love TGP
:aok