A new Stop-Loss poster has made its way to the web. I first caught the trailer for this movie a few weeks back and the subject matter completely interested me… and floored me right away. From what I understand, “stop-loss” is a situation where an American soldier completes his tour of duty, the one he has agreed to do, and the told that he’s not allowed to leave the military yet and is sent back to war. Something the soldier never agreed to when signing up. It is in essence a draft for those who are already in the military.
Anyway, check out the poster (via the folks at MTV)… and if you haven’t seen the trailer, it’s at the bottom of the post
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I personally think that this is going to be good. I think Kimberly Pierce is fantastic and she did an incredible job with Boys Don’t Cry. I am also a huge Joseph Gordon Levitt fan and am excited to see what he does with the role!
Crappy nu-metal song aside, the trailer looked interesting until Channing Tatum showed up as a major character. I can’t stand the guy.
Bjon,
My last comment was unecessary, ingorant and WAY off topic. Please accept my apologies.
Brian
BTW: Bjorn,
Be sure to face east when the terrosits saw your head off.
bjon,
You’re missing my point. What I’m saying is, that Hollywood mas made and continues to make films that offer only one point of view. They have all done poorly. So why do they make them? If you went to a diner and asked for eggs but they continued to bring you ham – would yo keep going back? We’ll that’s exactly what’s happening here. They keep creating a product that most people don’t want.
We can argure all day about this war and this president. I won’t change your mind and you won’t change mine.
Of course you struck a nerve, Brian. This movie strikes a nerve and all these types of movies do. War is fucked up. People die and keep dieing until somebody gives up and the victor is named or whatever. It’s stupid as shit. If you beat the shit out of some kid cuz you want his lunch money, he’s gonna be plotting his revenge for as long as it takes to get back at you. Whether or not he actually ends up doing something, the situation between you and that kid is never resolved. That is unless you handle it with good clean communication. How about some communication with words, not bombs and bullets.
But damn straight those soldiers are tough, strong and insanely brave and it actually truly does sadden me that they are over there right now fighting for nothing. It pisses me off. And it just sucks cuz it’s just people like me against this gigantic machine that won’t fuckin stop because it doesn’t give a shit about “the people.” It doesn’t think of us as human beings. We are nothing but chess pieces on a game board to them.
Matthew,
Agreed
Though, I was a little suprised by the personal attacks after my first posting. I’m a passionate guy with strong opinions and was expecting powerful rebuttals, but I had to laugh at some of the names like ‘neo-con’. That made my day. I just thought this was a forum for discussing movies. Guess I struck a nerve. And I thought there was a no cursing rule. LOL!
Brian~
I agree somewhat with what you say. There has so far been only one point of view displayed in the movies depicting our current military situations. However, it is still pretty early for these movies to be coming out, and I hold out hope that more will follow showing alternative points of view. It is a fact that Hollywood and movie creators and producers tend to be more liberal, and so it makes sense that most of their movies would show that point of view. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Eventually, however, we can count on a few releases showing the other side of the coin.
Matthew,
First, thanks you so much for your service. Secondly, I just grow frustrated with what now seems like films made on a production line designed for only one point of view.
Film makers can create whatever they want – I am in no way disagreeing with that. But it’s my right as a customer to refrain from attending those films. And, judging by recent boxoffice recipts, so have many others.
Goodbar~
I just wanted to point out that Black Hawk Down, We Were Soldiers, and many other war movies took place during wars and conflicts that were highly unpopular at the time, i.e. Vietnam, Korea, and even Mogadishu. These films managed to show the bravery and greatness of the soldiers while at the same time showing the pointlessness of the wars that were being fought. Black Hawk Down showed that soldiers were in a completely useless engagement, not even allowed to protect the purpose of their mission, and yet still so many of them died over there. Hollywood is yet to put out a major production about this war that manages to honor the sacrifice nearly 4,000 men and women have given to the cause, whether they agree with their purpose or not. While I was over there, many of my friends felt that the war was useless and we should not have been there, but they participated in some heroic actions that I wish were being shown on the screen instead of constant Bush bashing and anti-war propaganda. The job these soldiers are doing in impossible conditions deserves to be told, as much as how the administration bungled the war in the first place.
well if what Matthew said was true that does make for an interesting debate about this movie. I think though we cant really say anything until we see it. So until then I’m thinking his point cant really be debated.
where to begin with this Brian guy….
Well besides him sounding like every other neo-conservative talking head…he also doesn’t make a lick of sense. Hes probably watching too much Fox “news” or listening to Sean Hannity’s “radio show”.
Firstly, John put it perfectly that the ONLY people “disparaging” our soldiers is Bush and all his cronies. The morons who sent the army there when there WAS NO REASON at all. Only to leave our guys (canadian/NATO troops) to be the ones dying in a country that the US fucked up in the first place (see Charlie Wilson’s War)
Yes most of the war movies havent done that well this year but why is that any reason to stop making them. Art is subjective so If a studio will pay to put a directors/writers vision on the screen WHY NOT do it??
what else did he blather??
“..make a smart film about the greatness of american soldiers…” Well dude how about Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, We Were Soliders, Flags of our Fathers, Band of Brothers, etc, etc,
Its just a little hard in this new “war on terror” age to make a movie about the greatness of american soldiers. And its not really the soldiers fault they are doing what they are doing. They go where they are told.
the best part was his typical pro-war-on-terror response
“..hollywood is rooting for the terrorists..” sigh i dont even know where to begin….
shit….its home time…to be continued tommorow…lol
I cant wait for this movie. The premise seems pretty damn good.
Goodbar,
I know. Dissent doesn’t only belong to the left. LOL!
oh man Brian u asked for it…..
And I think Brian’s point is that some of these were major movies with huge names in them (Tom Cruise for example) that were not very successful. I think the public has realized that the war might not have been a very important place in the war on terror to begin with, but it is very important now. The terrorists themselves have admitted that losing in Iraq would be a huge dent in their abilities, and so Iraq has become the most important place to destroy terrorism, right now. And on top of that, the public is tired of this debate. They are tired of hearing about the war. That’s why there is very little news coverage about it anymore, being replaced with the Presidential elections.
Deacon, I would agree with you, but I can almost guarantee that this movie will not make it clear that every soldier knows about their 8 year commitment before they sign up. It’s on everyone’s contract, in clear terms. If they make that clear, that’s fine, but if not, they are giving only half of the information.
Hey Brian,
Who is “hollywood” exactly? And what films have bombed? Most of them have ended up making money, so I’m not sure where you’re getting that from.
The other problem, is that no one wants to lose the war on terror. They just all recognize that Iraq has nothing to do with the war on terror, and the way the Bush Admisistration is fighting the “war on terror” is actually making the situation worse than better… as his own generals warned him it would do.
Everyone supports the troops, it’s just that most people recognize that we’re putting those troops in harms way for no good reason at this point.
I’ve seen this get completely slammed in some place, so I figured i’d finally speak up a bit. Since when was “Hollywood” not allowed to make movies about whatever it felt like..There’s some movie about Jessica Alba having magic eyes or something coming out soon…they can make anything they want.
And I refuse to pan anything before I see it. Panning it just because its a war movie and previous war movies have disappointed is kind of silly. Plus this is also going to have some informative value as well, i had zero idea about this enlistment practice until I heard about this movie and I assume there are plenty of people who are in my boat. It’s better that they find out this way than not at all.
Trailer started off intersting but then bored me.
John,
Just to clear something up, stop-loss is only for soldiers that have not completed their entire 8 year enlistment. Most sign up for 4 active duty and 4 reserve, understanding that they can be called back to active duty at the President’s discretion anytime after their 4 active up to their 8 year mark. I was in the Army, stationed in Germany, supposed to get out in August of 2004. In November of 2003, my unit was ordered to deploy to Iraq in the following February, and I was stop-lossed. It pissed me off, as I ended up being in Active duty until May of 2005, but I knew when I signed up that I was doing so for 8 years and that I could be called back. Anyone who says they didn’t know are either lying, or dumb enough to not read their contract. You have to initial a line right next to the statement saying that you are agreeing to an 8 year contract. People who then turn around and refuse to re-deploy are abandoning everyone else who is doing what they agreed to do in the first place. I have no sympathy for them.
Hi John,
My point is, that if you look at it logically, Hollywood has made several films aimed at weakening our resolve in this war against terror. And, just as a business, it makes no sense to me that they would continue to do so since all of them have bombed. So, I can only conclude that one: they have become disconnected from the ticket buying public – and two: they want us to lose.
I hope I’ve clarified my point
Thanks,
John
Hey Brian:
You said:
“Yeah, that’s smart. Make another movie disparaging our brave soldiers.”
Funny, it looks more to me like it’s the political administration who is disparaging and disrespecting the brave solders who did their tour and now want out. Where is the respect and honor due to them for already performing their duty? If you love your country, you despise the function of Stop-Lossing. Otherwise you hate soldiers. Sorry… that’s just the way it is. Do you hate the soldiers Brian?
Yeah, that’s smart. Make another movie disparaging our brave soldiers. What doesn’t Hollywood get? Can they be THAT stupid? Lions for Lambs, Rendition, In the Valley of Elah – the list goes on and on – bomb after bomb. Here’s an idea, make a smart film about the greatness of America and its soldiers. Bet they’d turn a profit too. But maybe the reason the troops in Stop-Loss don’t want to go back to Iraq is because they see the way Hollywood is rooting for the terrorists and they’re sick of protecting a bunch of self absorbed jackasses. Pathetic.
Pretty people.