TV/Movies Megathread

[Norgy]

"Outsiders" seems to be interesting.
Is there really people that far removed from "normal" life in the US?

[Eddie Teach]

You mean like Katmai?

[Norgy]

You mean like Katmai?

[Savonarola]

Race (2016)

An enjoyable sports biopic.  The problem with the move is that if you know anything at all about Jesse Owens you know that [spoiler]he won 4 gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.[/spoiler]  The movie tries to build tension around will the US boycott the 1936 Olympics? will Jesse personally boycott the Olympics? and will Jesse agree to step into the relay after the Jewish athletes are taken out?  The resolutions are profoundly unsurprising.

If you know the second thing about Jesse Owens you know that [spoiler]he set three world records and tied a fourth at a track meet at the University of Michigan[/spoiler] unless you're Grumbler in which case [spoiler]nothing at all happened in Ann Arbor May 25, 1935.  Grumbler was there an you weren't.[/spoiler]     So whether or not the coach will let him run in the meet also has an unsurprising resolution.

[celedhring]

I always struggle with these kind of films, which build tension around real events that you already know the outcome of. Take Valkyrie for example; a fine film, except that you know all along that they're not going to succeed in killing Hitler so it's all pretty pointless.

[Josephus]

I always struggle with these kind of films, which build tension around real events that you already know the outcome of. Take Valkyrie for example; a fine film, except that you know all along that they're not going to succeed in killing Hitler so it's all pretty pointless.

Yeah. Was watching Inglorious Basterds and thought the same thing.

[celedhring]

Inglorious Basterds is a fantasy though, while Valkyrie was a historical thriller.

[Josephus]

Inglorious Basterds is a fantasy though, while Valkyrie was a historical thriller.

yeah....it was meant as a joke. 

[celedhring]

Fair enough 

I'm reminded of Gladiator, too, that ends up with the reinstatement of the Republic after the death of Commodus 

[Norgy]

while Valkyrie was a historical thriller.

While based on a story about von Stauffenberg, it's about as chockfull of historical fact as "Vikings".

You should know better.

[Admiral Yi]

While based on a story about von Stauffenberg, it's about as chockfull of historical fact as "Vikings".

You should know better.

What did they get wrong?

[garbon]

My aunt was surprised that [spoiler]Hitler didn't die in the plot[/spoiler]...

[Norgy]

While based on a story about von Stauffenberg, it's about as chockfull of historical fact as "Vikings".

You should know better.

What did they get wrong?

The assassination attempt is rather historical. And general Beck.
The story before that and Stauffenberg being some kind of Tom Cruise heroic character... I don't buy it.

Stauffenberg may not have been a Nazi, but like most of the officer caste, he was all aboard until he was not.
My point is that it is based on reasonably cloudy facts.
Not so much crap history as a narrative based on making a heroic character.

[Admiral Yi]

The assassination attempt is rather historical. And general Beck.
The story before that and Stauffenberg being some kind of Tom Cruise heroic character... I don't buy it.

Stauffenberg may not have been a Nazi, but like most of the officer caste, he was all aboard until he was not.
My point is that it is based on reasonably cloudy facts.
Not so much crap history as a narrative based on making a heroic character.

I thought it followed Stauffenberg's motivation pretty closely, that he thought Hitler was losing the war.

[viper37]

I'm reminded of Gladiator, too, that ends up with the reinstatement of the Republic after the death of Commodus 

We don't know that.  That is certainly the wish of the Gladiator, as transmitted by a late senator and some anti-Commodus conspirator, but he dies right there in the arena, so we have no idea if Rome turns back into a Republic.