300 the movie, yes we watched it yesterday (Some spoilers)

[nadinbrzezinski]

Well, as expected I did not expect a history lesson and gosh darn it did not get one. Having at one time read Herodotus I could see where they deviated from
the actual history, but alas this did not detract from either enjoying this as a movie (which kicked ass), or enjoying this in the continuum of mythological
story telling of the Greeks... which they also did

Having a giant as part of the movie made sense, since the Greeks did believe in Giants, and that guy with swords for his arms, again made sense, and given these were mentioned in the TDS yesterday I'm not giving that much away.

The story is told from the POV of one of the Captains who is given the order to take the story back home and spread it across Greece... which as far as we can tell, was done, somebody told the story. (And it was Herodotus if you are going to nitpick)

There is more... yep it was bloody... but not as bad as I expected from the previous and as I have said in the past, war is bloody so... big deal. (And from my POV far from a glorification of war)

The art of making this movie and the technology was quite impressive, and enjoyable in the final product.

Now to the politics, I can certainly sere why for some this takes on a political overtone... started with Apocalypse Now and it has just gotten worst. But just as Gladiator did not tell us the history of the Roman Empire, this is not telling us the History of the battle, though they did a very good job of portraying both the reality of having a funnel (thermopylae was a funnel), or the significance of the battle in Western History. Just as Gladiator represented to us some of the best and worst elements of the Rome of the First Century, Arena and all.

Now if you want to do high level movie analysis, there is plenty of fodder to do it, and go for it. Have fun, I say.

But if you want to place this in how it helps my side advance its ideology... you know what? There is enough in this movie to advance everybody's plot line... and gosh darn it, even Iran (for whom this IS part of history and yes they REMEMBER that far outside the US), it was an isult... and I could see how too. So if you want to use it to advance the leftie perspective, go ahead, there is plenty. The rightie, sure there is plenty to grab upon... knock yourself silly.

Me... it is time we just enjoy them and stop having these debates every time a movie comes out... they are ART and ART always speaks to multiple points of view.

[MLFerrell]

1. Considering that Spartans weren't the defenders of democracy and rationality that 300 would have...

I won't be watching this neoconservative dogma any time soon. You know, the whole "militaristic culture in defense of freedom" that they'd have us believe...

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig8/engle1.html

That pretty much sums it up...

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. As I said all can grab for the doors and find

items that will advance political story lines

Have you seen it?

If you think it portrays Sparta in such a pure and nice way, no it does not

[MLFerrell]

4. Have I seen it? No. Will I see it? No.

I don't have TV, so I didn't even know about this whole hullaballoo until yesterday. From what I've heard, no thanks. I prefer films that have substance.

Sparta stood for the very antithesis of what I believe in. I won't watch anything that glorifies their way of life or "bravery", even if the same also portrays their "bad side".

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Then I guess we have nothing else to say to each other

after all the film does not glorify Sparta... but if you have not seen it, you'd miss that little detail

Then again I don't go to the movies to watch thought a partisan eye either... and I am tired of people watching movies (on both sides mind you) with that damn partisan eye

I buy a ticket to enjoy myself, and this was extremely HIGH ART.

Oh and to add, it had substance, just not the kind that partisans will find...

[Firepit 462]

8. You might like "Happy Feet"........ My niece did.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Hold it, with all that environmental mumbo jumbo and

how it is advancing the liberal agenda?

:-)

Paraphrasing Sean Hanni-ty of course...

Another film that was politicized and WE also watched it and gosh darn it, ENJOYED IT!

As I said, the politicizing of movies can really be taken to ridiculous extremes

;-)

[Firepit 462]

11. No doubt,

Anything can be seen thru what ever lens you use. We love going to the movies, it's like roller coaster rides. I don't ponder the coefficient of friction between the casters and the rail, or the electrical performance of the inferior grade copper wire. I grab on and yell and laugh and enjoy the ride. The movies for us is a two hour visual roller coaster ride, it's meant to be fun!

I don't go to movies to research more unique ways of voicing my disgust at whatever flaws I can "uncover" in the historical significance of a story, written to entertain, not educate. I spent more years, and a hell of a lot more money than I care to think about on my education, I'm allowed to have fun, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about having some.

[Firepit 462]

3. I loved the movie, we're going to see it again this week-end.

I went to school to be educated, I blow 20 bucks out my ass on tickets, and 15 bucks out my nose on food at the movies to be entertained, and "300" was VERY entertaining.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. It was entertaining

the only point that was historically accurate that was made, was... well two

Come and get them, from the Histories they said it (And that one, it could be Herodotus speaking out of his ass)

And the last line

Go tell the spartans, those three lines are out of the rock carving at the Gates of Hell.

After that, they took some freedoms but hey, it WAS fun... and my local movie theater allows you to bring food and drink in, so this latte drinking Liberal even had her Latte while watching this

;-)

[Firepit 462]

7. I wish our theatre let food in,

But nothing quite satisfies like a couple of $4.00 cokes, and a few $5.00 hot dogs. Kind of like a baseball game, my girlfriend and I, PHYSICALLY NEED a coke and a dog at the movies.

Cheers !

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. We think that since it is at the mall

they get a cut from the Starbucks, Cinabon and other places...

;-)

Me, I kind of draw the line at seven buck nachos... what were they thinking?

[Little Wing]

12. It was awesome watching a Spartan Phalanx in action

:bounce:

[nadinbrzezinski]

13. I could not help but wonder

how long they trained to get it right... as far as we know

[Selatius]

14. From what I read of history, the Spartans were better armed than the Persian infantry.

They didn't go into battle bare-chested but wore chest plates and armor plates covering their legs and shins. The armor allowed them to take a beating and still kill a lot of Persians, who were comparatively lightly armed. They also fought as a unit, and that gave them even more strength. It's the reason why Roman infantry dominated the battlefields for centuries. Roman legions fought not as hordes but as organized mass formations.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. That was one of the ahem freedoms they took

It still have a fun movie, go watch it if you can...

There were a few moments I had to remind myself, this IS a movie, as a few of those freedoms were a tad jarring

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. kick

[Rydz777]

17. Technology

What fascinates me is how the technlogy has advanced so far that a movie like this can be created. I fully expect one day to see "Casablanca - the Sequel" in which Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are virtually brought back to life (and Claude Raines too.)

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. And at that point

we will enter a whole new ethical standard.. but you are corect, they are getting close to that

[dysfunctional press]

18. we're waiting to see it next week in imax...

i'm hoping for sensory overload.

[Swede]

19. I saw it on Wednesday,and I loved it.

Every scene looked like a beautiful painting. I give it two thumbs up.