The Blind Side

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Post by Sonic Youth »

ITALIANO wrote:But I'm not surprised by Big Magilla or Oscar Guy. I'm sure that this must be flipp's favorite movie of the year even. What I find shocking is the general silence here from all the others (apart from Zahveed). Weird, really. Sounds like Dreamgirls.

If you want to be moderately entertained, you'll find an exchange buried somewhere in the November Predictions thread.

(How did I remember that? Hmm...)




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Post by ITALIANO »

Big Magilla wrote:And passive is one thing you couldn't possibly relate to.
VERY true, must admit it.

It's not the facts, Big Magilla, it's how they are told; did you find the characters believable, realistic? Oh well. Forget it.
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Post by Big Magilla »

ITALIANO wrote:
Big Magilla wrote:but not he black guy who was not mute but shy and withdrawn.
Passive, Big Magilla, he was passive, and there just to prove the goodness and generosity of the white rich people around him.
And passive is one thing you couldn't possibly relate to.

It's based on a true story. It's telling the story of the black kid from the perspective of the white woman who took him and made him part of her family.

Could it have been better made? Sure, but a lot of what happens in the film is how it actually happened in real life.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports....r_N.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Oher
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Post by ITALIANO »

Big Magilla wrote:but not he black guy who was not mute but shy and withdrawn.
Passive, Big Magilla, he was passive, and there just to prove the goodness and generosity of the white rich people around him.

As for the NAACP, well, I dont need to tell you that these organizations have made even worse (but not much worse) mistakes in the past. Idiots may find this movie uplifting and antiracist, but then the world is full of idiots, white and black.

But I'm not surprised by Big Magilla or Oscar Guy. I'm sure that this must be flipp's favorite movie of the year even. What I find shocking is the general silence here from all the others (apart from Zahveed). Weird, really. Sounds like Dreamgirls.
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Post by Big Magilla »

Well the NAACP liked it well enough to nominate it for Best Picture and Best Actress which would seem to indicate they weren't offended by it.

http://www.naacpimageawards.net/41/nominees-and-voting/nominees/

I found nothing offensive in it. Well, OK, maybe the annoying kid playing Bullock's son, but not he black guy who was not mute but shy and withdrawn.
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Post by ITALIANO »

I saw it in Italy but in a private projection in an American owned studio; it hasnt been commercially distributed in Italy yet, but I'm sure it will be soon.

Oscar Guy, I'm sorry but I will never, ever stop fighting a certain way of being American (which, as this board proved to me, doesnt mean ALL Americans); I will never stop saying my truth. My VERY REASONABLE though not positive view on The Blind Side can be easily shared by many of your compatriots; if you feel personally offended by it, well, then yes, maybe it means that you are part of THAT America I will keep fighting, and if this makes you unconfortable (I don't think it should) and you can't deal with it, the best solution is ignoring me. Because I won't stop saying what I think.

I will also never stop fighting ignorance, even if it's in a big box office hit (it's even more dangerous, actually).

Oscar Guy, a true story is always manipulated, changed, when adapted for any medium, especially for the movies. And distorted, often, to fit an agenda. I dont think I'd find THIS particular story very interesting anyway, but it certainly could have been a more intelligent movie, complex even, rather than such a flat, bidimensional fairy tale with a black, passive, MUTE, male Cinderella at its center; the characters could have been, like in real life, contradictory, selfish, not 100% positive, in one word, human. It would have certainly been less offensive.

And didnt u feel offended, Oscar Guy, at least a bit? Not by my words I mean, watching it. Not for one moment you felt degraded, exactly like the central male character? I did.

Now you will be showered with posts or private messages telling you how dangerous ITALIANO is, and how unrespectful, and the movie is so moving so it must be good etc. Don't believe them. I show respect for truth and intelligence; it's the only way I know of being respectful to anyone including you.
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Post by Sonic Youth »

ITALIANO wrote:So, just an advice. Please dont show it abroad. If you dont want anti Americanism to become even bigger than it already is, dont show this movie abroad. Keep it for yourselves, for your packed movie theatres, for those of you who still want to believe in the "American dream", but dont let this to be seen abroad. You were doing fine with Obama, etc, why this mistake now?

Does this mean you're in America now?




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Post by Zahveed »

Really? Do we have to get into this? Right now? Can we wait for when there's nothing to talk about?
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Post by OscarGuy »

So you would support a revisionist film about Lauren Bacall's life where she spoke nary a word because her talking all the time would be too annoying?

I think you've put too much stock in that one minor detail and that's what I was trying to point out, but of course, you have just as narrow-minded opinion of the world as we Americans have because of your short sided, single-faceted approach to everything, especially American. But far be it from me to point that out because you can't see that in yourself. You think you're high minded just because you shit on everything American because, again, it doesn't fit your narrow perception of the world. For all the blindness shown by American citizens for what's going on in the world, you are right there with them in your own perceptions.

But, I'm not saying any more on the matter because quite frankly, I don't talk to you anymore BECAUSE of the way you talk to me and others. Just thought you should be called out on it once again, but no matter how often we do, you still don't get it and you still won't change.

Choose your next words carefully, because right now, in the state of mind I'm in, I have no problem putting you on ignore so that I never read another one of your posts.
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Post by Zahveed »

My wife wanted to read the book but couldn't even get through the first chapter because it was just talking about football. She has yet to see the movie. I was unfortunate to see it because some work buddies voted on it. I hope she forgets about it when it comes out on DVD. She can wait for it to be shown on Lifetime... or CMT.

It based on a sports book that told two stories about left field tackles, the Oher story being the more prominent in the adaptation. Plot devices and characters were probably added to make a Hollywood film. Based on a true story. Not a true story.

I'm pretty sure the portrayal of that kid in the film, don't know about the book, wasn't true. I've never met a kid that obnoxious who no one wanted to punch in the face - and I have four younger brothers, each of who has or will be punched in the face at some point. The pictures at the end credits even showed him twice the size. Not relevant to his obnoxiousness, but it shows how faithful it was.
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Post by ITALIANO »

Only someone very, very naive, Oscar Guy, can really believe that just because it is "based on a true story" then it must be 100%, or even 25%, true. But if you want to believe in things like The Blind Side, and in American fairy tales, I won't shatter your dream.
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Post by OscarGuy »

Oh? So the film intentionally treated Michael as an object, something that couldn't speak. Well, you may not be aware (or may be blithely ignoring) of the fact that this is based on a true story. So, you're upset because the film portrayed someone faithfully and didn't make them something they weren't just to please your sensibilities. Next thing you know, they'll make a film about Lauren Bacall in which she talks to much. What a travesty that would be.
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Post by ITALIANO »

American stars of the old times were on a completely different level.

And even more recently, Meryl Streep showed in Music of the Heart that a great actress can still survive such cardboard characters, can still find some humanity in them. Her performance in that movie is constantly ridiculed on this board, by the same people who find Bullock nomination (or award) worthy.

I'm sorry, but I'm still in shock over this movie. The way it treats a human being (black or white it doesnt matter) as a THING (he doesnt even speak) is something that could happen only in an American movie. Shame on you.




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Post by Big Magilla »

Yes, it plays like a TV movie but one with an old fashioned star performance.
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Post by Zahveed »

ITALIANO wrote:(in Italy it would be a tv movie, and not a major one)
Thank you.
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