Did they do it justice or just use it to bash America?

/sarc

Meryl Streep- Death Becomes Her, because I like Bruce Willis, I watched his last movie “Live Free or Die Hard” in fact when it comes out on DVD, I will buy it.

Robert Redford- he directed? A river runs through it. I am from this part of the country.

Tom Cruise- I think it was the Minority Report, because nothing else was on TV. Oh unless you count the clip of him jumping on Oprah’s couch.

What do they call America?

The land of opportunity.

What do I call these movie stars?

Opportunist.

This is the topic in the news “War on Terror” and these egotist, want face time to appear relevant.

“Thirty-three years after his death, during one of the bloodiest days of the Vietnam War, Air Force Para-rescue Jumper William H. Pitsenbarger is awarded the Medal of Honor after a young Washington bureaucrat and fellow veterans of Operation Abilene get Congress to reconsider the legacy of his sacrifice. From a true story.”

…I give you 20 odd pro-America films released in the last 20 years or so (and I could list 20 more very easily), and you pick out one as not being pro-America? That’s lame. One of the messages of that movie was that Bush 41 failed to let the military do its job and continue on into Iraq to liberate the Iraqi people. When’s the last time you watched the movie? I know it’s kind of subtle, but a movie can be pro-military, while at the same time being critical of a particular administration’s policy and strategy.

…popular wars with widespread public support result in movies with a pro-military, pro-America bent. Unpopular/controversial wars result in movies with negative or mixed messages about the war in question and as a by-product, the military. Again, studios and producers like money, ALOT. Take a look at the various wars and resulting movies beginning with WWII:

WWII – you’d be hard-pressed to come up with an anti-America movie about WWII. It was the ultimate righteous war, and everyone in the country made sacrifices and felt they had a stake in the outcome. Hollywood is still making movies about that war (Flags of our Fathers for example).

Korea – not a very popular war, so you get a mixed bag out of this one. Hamburger Hill and MASH are the only two Korean War movies that come to might off the top of my head.

Vietnam – obviously, a very unpopular and controversial war. Lots of negative movies, some with mixed messages and a handful of positive films. Platoon and Apocalypse Now were both anti-war I would say, but both did well at the box office. When We Were Soldiers and Rescue Dawn both depicted positive aspects of the war, but didn’t do very well.

Grenada – Easy to get behind military action…no controversy. Heartbreak Ridge with Clint gets made and is unabashedly patriotic. Not a very good movie though, so doesn’t do that well.

Somalia – a pretty righteous police-type action. The very pro-military Black Hawk Down results.

Gulf War I – popular and righteous war with wide public backing. There wasn’t much to this one though in terms of fodder for movie plot lines, so you get films such as 3 Kings and Jar Head which deal with sort of tangential stories. BTW, Jar Head is an adaptation from the memoir of the same name by a combat Marine.

The Balkans – again, while maybe not hugely popular, generally seen as righteous. Behind Enemy Lines was pretty pro-America.

9/11 and Afghanistan – right behind WWII in terms of popular support and righteousness level. Flight 93 and The World Trade Center were extremely pro-America, and both did solidly at the box office.

Iraq – see Vietnam.

Cold War – obviously, the general population was solidly behind the effort to defeat the evil empire that was the USSR, and there were many movies made on this topic and the vast majority were pro-America. Hunt for Red October, Red Dawn, Top Gun are just a few examples.

Sorry to ramble, but I think folks sometimes make way too much out of this “liberal Hollywood” thing. Bottom line is that studios make movies to make money.

Oliver Stone directed “World Trade Center”, you know that, don’t go all Hannity on me and play dumb. There’s no way you can tell me “World Trade Center” was anti-American, and this is Oliver freaken Stone we’re talking about it.
There are indeed more liberals in Hollywood than concervative(yes there are conservative in Hollywood, you know that). However, as you also know the liberals have indeed made some pro-American patriotic movies. Cause you know what, most liberals are patriotic, and love America.

I just found a copy of the DNC event schedule.
______________________________________________

2008 Democratic National Convention Schedule of Events

7:00 pm ~ Opening flag burning

7:15 pm ~ Pledge of Allegiance…to the U. N.

7:20 pm ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

7:25 pm ~ Nonreligious prayer and worship with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton

7:45 pm ~ Ceremonial tree hugging

7:55 pm ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

8:00 pm ~ How I Invented the Internet – Al Gore

8:15 pm ~ Gay Wedding Planning – Barney Frank presiding

8:35 pm ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

8:40 pm ~ Our Troops are War Criminals – John Kerry

9.00 pm ~ Memorial service for Saddam and his sons – Cindy Sheehan and Susan Sarandon

10:00 pm ~ “Answering Machine Etiquette” – Alec Baldwin

11:00 pm ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

11:05 pm ~ Collection for the Osama Bin Laden kidney transplant fund – Barbra Streisand

11:15 pm ~ Free the Freedom Fighters from Guantanamo Bay -* Sean Penn

11:30 pm ~ Oval Office Affairs – William Jefferson Clinton

11:45 pm ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

11:50 pm ~ How George Bush Brought Down the World Trade Towers – Howard Dean

12:15 am ~ “Truth in Broadcasting Award” – Presented to Dan Rather by Michael Moore

12:25 am ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

12:30 am ~ Satellite address by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

12:45 am ~ Nomination of Hillary Rodham Clinton by Nancy Pelosi

1:00 am ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

1:05 am ~ Coronation of Hillary Rodham Clinton

1:30 am ~ Ted Kennedy proposes a toast

1:35 am ~ Bill Clinton asks Ted Kennedy to drive Hillary home

I agree with everything you said. It’s also intersting to note, that a lot of left leaning liberals produced, directed and starred in many of the films you listed…even Oliver Stone.

Actually Mr. Stone had nothing to do with any of those movies listed. Born on the Fourth of July and Platoon, which were NOT pro-America, were the only war movie he was ever involved in.

Yes there are many liberal actors in movies in pro-American movies because there are no more conservatives left in Hollywood.

Another problem with the new Iraq war films coming out is that it’s too dang soon. Americans have war fatigue

No, the problem with almost every Iraq War film coming out is they are anti-American and Americans are fed up with Hollywood doing this.

It’s a cheap and pathetic shot for conservatives to accuse liberals of being anti-American

Yes, they click their heels together 3 times and say I am a Patriot and Love America while they burn the American Flag.

I agree with everything you said. It’s also intersting to note, that a lot of left leaning liberals produced, directed and starred in many of the films you listed…even Oliver Stone.
Another problem with the new Iraq war films coming out is that it’s too dang soon. Americans have war fatigue. The great Vietnam films that were both profitable and critically acclaimed started coming out in 1978, 3 yrs after the war ended, and rolled along until about 1987. Despite Bush’s proclamation of “mission accomplished” years ago, this war has “No End in Sight”.

Lastly, I completely agree that it’s important and possible to love your country and distrust government, or at least question government. It’s a cheap and pathetic shot for conservatives to accuse liberals of being anti-American, just because they condemn some American policies.
This support U S A no matter what hardline is dangerous with a history of:
-Seperate but Equal
-Japanese Internment
-Watergate
-Years of supporting S. Africa’s aparthied regime
-Iran/Contra
-Whitewater
-The hypocritical Queen Edgar Hoover led FBI w/ COINTELPRO, and I’ll stop there for now.

In my opinion, this is the greatest country in the history of mankind, and our good has far, far outweighed our bad, but it’s flawed, and checks and balances are crucial.

Could it be that these films are really getting to the theater too late to achieve their intended ideological influence? I am inclined to say yes, given the events of the last six months. The minds of the American people, while somewhat sour to a pro…..

It’s worth noting that there are quite a few examples of “pro-America” movies that have been released over the last 15-20 years, such as:

The Three Kings was NOT a pro-American movie and in fact was the start of Clooney’s anti-American movies he has done lately and it bombed at the box office also.

Yes, it bombed at the box office also.

Saving Private Ryan
Black Hawk Down
The Patriot
Apollo 13
World Trade Center
Flight 93
Behind Enemy Lines
Clear and Present Danger
Independence Day
Pearl Harbor
Patriot Games
Hunt for Red October
The Right Stuff
The Sum of all Fears
3 Kings
We Were Soldiers
all 3 Rambo movies
Forrest Gump

There are many more, but you get the idea.

bear1909, interesting post as always. You’re an entertaining and talented writer. I’m going to stick with Johnny Mac and my man Colin Powell on this one though. I like to refer back to Jefferson on stuff like this and lean on his notion that we should love our country, but distrust our government. I’m a checks and balances, separation of powers guy myself.