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'American Sniper' makes North American box office history

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These movies about wars increase nationalism in an already dark times.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I know a lot of people have issues with this movie not telling the whole story or the faults of Chris Kyle more, but it's more important to know that to make the movie they wanted to make and to get the access they needed, the filmmakers had to get the approval of Chris's widow.

I think this is more the story his widow wanted to tell of her late husband than as deep as maybe Cooper or Eastwood would have made, but they obviously wanted to be respectful to her.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Someone please tell me,what is patriotic about a sniper killing Iraqis defending their country from an American invasion? This is one movie I won't be watching....!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Who could expect less from a gun-nuts society?

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Someone please tell me,what is patriotic about a sniper killing Iraqis defending their country from an American invasion? This is one movie I won't be watching....!

Exactly! All the brain washing from Hollywood is ludicrous, people will believe whatever war propaganda this entity releases. They should make a movie on how the US trained and funded Alqaeda who are now ISIS. That I would watch, would pay double the admission too.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@kurisuupisu and Juan.... Umm...I think you meant "heroic".

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

...in second place was “Paddington,” a new big-screen adaptation of the family classic about a bear lost in the big city.

Any word on when Paddington will be coming to Japan? That film would clean up here. I wish I had 1% of the money to be made on phone dangly things with PB on them. It's going to be Frozen all over again.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@harvey - gee thanks, I guess the sniper is already dead. No spoiler alert?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The sniper movie is apolitical. It's less about politics and more about what emotional states soldiers go thru. That's why 4 of every 10 of its audience are female. And being apolitical, it's watched by both left, right, and middle. And that's how it managed to earn >$100 million in January - which is considered a dead month for theaters.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Great movie! I saw it yesterday.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Someone please tell me,what is patriotic about a sniper killing Iraqis defending their country from an American invasion? This is one movie I won't be watching....!

It's "patriotic' in the sense that the snipers reduced the number of deaths of their fellow servicemen. As in the case of ANY conflict, one country's "patriot" is the opposing country's "murderer/terrorist". The fact that in this case the sniper was part of the invading force is irrelevant to whether he was "patriotic" or not.

There. You've now been told what's "patriotic" about this movie. You're welcome.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sarah Palin said leftists were “not fit to shine Chris Kyle’s combat boots.”

Just remember, this woman was the Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican party,

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Wow, who'd have thought there'd be a market in the US for a film glorifying war? Shocking!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I think Clint Eastwood is one of the greats of movies. The rampant success of this may be partially due to his involvement but is also a reflection on the continued militarisation of US culture and the concomitant interest in all matters military by the public.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@BPoint

There isn't much heroism when the killer is hundreds of yards away. I used the word 'patriotic' due to the feelings that it has given the American viewers who give the movie a standing ovation at the end of the showing......

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I tried to see the movie last Saturday but I couldn't get in - it was sold out. I'll try again this weekend.

I read the book last year and found it a compelling profile of a person coping the best he could under very difficult circumstances. Navy Seals are trained to be gung-ho and they are full of bravado because that's what it takes to do what the commander-in-chief tells them to do. Obama has the Seals doing the same thing right now in the Middle East. Not only that, but the special operations personnel from many other Western nations were also involved over there. It isn't just American Seals.

... the filmmakers had to get the approval of Chris's widow.

Well actually the filmmakers got permission from Chris Kyle himself. Kyle met with Clint Eastwood, Bradly Cooper, and Sienna Miller before his death. The movie is also based on Kyle's book so it's basically his story, not his wife's. There are however, comments from Taya Kyle throughout the book which gives her feelings and emotions at various points in time. The book was written in a conversational style that is very readable.

Exactly! All the brain washing from Hollywood is ludicrous, people will believe whatever war propaganda this entity releases.

I do not see it that way. People have responded to this movie because it reflects their own beliefs. It is as much pro-war as it is anti-war (at least that is the impression I get from reading the book). American's get copious amounts of anti-war, anti-patriotic movies out of Hollywood. When a rare one comes out that doesn't dump on America it gets noticed - especially since it appears to be so very well done.

It's "patriotic' in the sense that the snipers reduced the number of deaths of their fellow servicemen.

Exactly. And the Islamists and insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan have snipers as well. Chris Kyle just happened to be in more situations where he could do his job than any of the others. It should be noted that Kyle wasn't just a sniper. He also helped the Army and Marines clear houses in hell holes like Fallujah and he participated in various operations with his fellow Seal Team members. He experienced a great deal of close-in combat with the enemy.

Don't judge before you have either read the book or seen the movie. Or I guess you could just listen to Michael Moore. He hasn't seen the movie either.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

American's get copious amounts of anti-war, anti-patriotic movies out of Hollywood. When a rare one comes out that doesn't dump on America it gets noticed - especially since it appears to be so very well done.

Can you please share few that have made it as big as these war propaganda movies? I am not being sarcastic, I really would like to know.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

American's get copious amounts of anti-war, anti-patriotic movies out of Hollywood.

I can't think of a single "anti-patriotic" movie made by a mainstream Hollywood studio in the past few decades. What, maybe "Born on the 4th of July" a few decades back?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's an excellent movie about a dedicated and professional soldier. Most of the whiners here are not fit to shine Chris Kyle's boots.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

This movie is not about glorifying war. Unless ya consider having a wrecking life to be glorious.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

If North korea made a movie like this it would be seen as propaganda.But as America has such a love of guns etc of course it gets an audience and is made out to be a classic.Dumbing down of the world!!And it seems with the Jesse Ventura thing and others like his Hurricane katrina story that the honorable Mr Kyle is not so honorable

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Finally saw it last night. Been sold out here since it was released. One hell of a great film. Interesting to note everyone in the theater was focused on watching it; no talking, no annoying texting, etc.

See this one on the big screen if you are fortunate enough to get the chance. It is money well spent.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It's hilarious! You're "outraged" at this "propaganda film?" As if we couldn't guess how you'd react...before you reacted! What proves that Eastwood is a great filmmaker with no fear of ruffling anyone's feathers: he was criticized for making the "uber-violent" Dirty Harry series in the 70s. They were a huge success and highly influential on the genre.

He was criticized for trying to bring back Westerns (Hollywood thought the idea was so awful, they refused to fund him, so he went and made the famous "spaghetti westerns" in Italy which completely changed that genre of film forever.) They were financially successful and have influenced films since.

He was criticized for making the "dumb" comedy Every Which Way But Loose and its sequel that, gasp, featured an orangutan as co-star! What tripe, chimed the critics on cue! (Adjusted for inflation, it was one of his most financially successful films and a pop-reference goldmine.)

Then he was criticized by many for his poignant advocacy of euthanasia in "Million Dollar Baby." It was a huge success and won the Academy Award.

He was criticized for putting African Americans in starring roles during his later Western "Unforgiven." It was still a success and also won Oscars. He was criticized for using racist language and characters in his movie about race relations and minorities in Gran Torino. The Japanese I talked to couldn't believe Americans would make such a "racist" film! He released it anyway. Then he was criticized for the "progressive" and critical anti-war films "Dream of my Fathers" and its Japanese-language counterpart, "Letters From Iwo Jima." The latter revolutionized war films and made particular history here in Japan (think about it: how many Japanese war films can you name that actually try to get into the heads of the country's foes during wartime?)

Now surprise surprise-he's being criticized for yet another war film that "glorifies" war, and surprise surprise, it's a success and has people talking...about war. Well, given all that he's done (and when compared to the complete lack of anything of merit actually being produced by his critics,) I'd gamble that Clint Eastwood could care less about what his critics think. He pushes all your buttons, every one of you, and makes people supportive of one film and then shocked and outraged the very next! And though I didn't like this particular film of his, it's one of the main reasons why I'll never stop liking and supporting the man himself. Critics should take note: you're irrelevant to the entire creative process-little more than an irritant or afterthought this guy's been dealing with his entire life!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Warmongering propaganda.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

This only goes to show how pathetic the US is right now.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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