Thursday, May 22, 2008


Wait! Here's an idea. Let's take what looks to be one of the worst presidents in history and make a movie about him. And let's start making it while he's still in office. High-fives all around, everyone.

Seriously, can't we let this guy just go away? Hasn't George W. Bush taken up enough of our time and energy? No matter the message, Oliver Stone's W will do nothing more than position George W. Bush as someone who was interesting enough to make a movie about. And he's not. Let the history put Bush in his place, not Oliver Stone.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let history put Bush in his place, not Oliver Stone.

Chills. That's good writing, Pipes.

Anonymous said...

No matter your opinion of W, what's sad about this is that this project of Stone's will do nothing more than play on the one-sided viewpoint of a egomaniacal director who stopped making decent films long ago. I mean, what are we supposed to get from this that the media, hollywood and communist whack-jobs on the Daily Kos haven't already said? Again, this is nothing more than a left-leaning masterbatory exercise much like Lions for Lambs and Rendition were. And whether you agree with the viewpoint of these films or not, mainstream America has no interest in being reminded of the events of the time in which we currently live. With gas approaching $4/gallon and soaring food prices, I think people have a lot more important things to spend their money on than the $8 it will cost to witness this dreck. People want to go to the movies to escape reality, not have it shoved down their throats. That's why Iron Man has pulled in 220 million in two weeks and In the Valley of Elah grossed a total of 6 million.

PIPER said...

Brian (anon),

Thank you.

Dizzy Dean,

I look at this film like I look at JFK. It's not going to be viewed as entertainment, but more of some kind of documentation of history. So those not in the know will take it as factual - only it will be extremely heavy-handed. I wish Stone would try to avoid doing something "controversial" and just do something good.

The truth is, you could do a straight up documentary on this guy and it would be way more damaging than what Oliver Stone will attempt. But again, I go back to where I was. The dude ain't worth it.

Allen Lulu said...

Are ya kidding?
The biggest train wreck of a prez....Stole an election...started a costly and worthless war...classic alcoholic with daddy issues...I could go on and on...
I would rather Stone give it a shot now then make me wait for Gore Vidal's endless tome or something.
I liked Primary Colors and that came out whilst Bubba was in office.
Beat a guy when he's down? I say, Hell yes.

Fox said...

The weirdest thing about this movie, to me, is the casting...

---
Rob Corddry as Ari Fleischer? (apparently this is an inside joke since Corddry used to joke about Fleischer on the Daily Show... plus, he kinda does look like him.)

Toby Jones as Karl Rove?

Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice? (Thandie is way too hot!)

Scott Glenn (SCOTT GLENN?!?) as Donald Rumsfeld?
---

It will be distracting for me b/c I will be laughing so much.

Which might go back to what Piper said about this movie possibly being a pretty fruitless undertaking.

to be continued...

Garrett Sorrels said...

Do you thnk you will you watch it though?
I understand your point, but part of me wants to see how Oliver does portray 'ol W.

PIPER said...

Fox,

You make a good point. It may become some kind of who's who in casting and less about the story.

Allen L.

I'm with you. But I anticipate that ole Ollie will direct this with a pretty damn heavy hand, making this movie rather easy to dismiss. Then again, he may not. Can't say until I see it.

And that then leads me to Garrett. Yes, I will see it because now I must since I have passed judgement on it without seeing it.

Anonymous said...

Am I alone? Didn't we all line up to see JFK when it came out? And now that we've had a big dose of Stone we distance ourselves a bit from it?

PIPER said...

Sorry Anonymous, I'm not getting your point. "We" as in everyone?

Megan said...

Only in America.

Sometimes I think Oliver is trying to be the William Manchester (on film) of his generation.

If Mr. Manchester were alive, oh how he would excoriate that foo'...