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Letters
Thursday, December 25, 2008 12:00 AM

"Valkyrie"

Tom Cruise leads a cast of actors giving terrible performances in a big-budget Nazi thriller that's just following orders.

The letters thread is now closed.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2008 06:25 PM

History Channel

Who Done Its

Tom Cruise

Risky Business

Hitler's Hollywood pundits!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 07:13 PM

Grotesque and indelible

I cannot see or read about Tom Cruise without seeing him gesticulate like a madman on Oprah's couch. I have tried to get that image out of my mind, believe me, but I cannot do it.

So trying to see him as heroic or serious or anything like that is now a mission impossible.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 07:25 PM

I think Tom's gonna be croonin' the blues

After he reads all of the reviews..

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 08:23 PM

other fake germans.....

Singer decided to let all the actors use their natural accents, instead of speaking with a German one.

--Tom Cruise isn't a good enough actor to speak his lines with a Real, Authentic German Accent. (RAGA).

The Picture's Producers and casting directors could have used John Banner and/or Werner Klemperer from, "Hogan's Heros, if they were still alive...There two are certainly better actors than Tom Cruise.....,....

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 08:35 PM

Klemperer played a really good dummkoph Col. Klink

Cruise on the hand

Just stinks...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 09:50 PM

Zacharek v.s Cruise v.s. Singer

What to do? Sigh.

A highly overrated director who generally flops whenever the limelight is on him (Superman Returns), whose best effort is gigantically exaggerated (The Usual Suspects) and who generally delivers when entirely ignored (Apt Pupil).

A blowhard, borderline psychotic actor (Tom Cruise) who takes arguably, almost relevant and intelligent points (perhaps we are slightly overmedicating children) and blows them so far out of proportion that you not only vehemently disagree with him but want him committed(Oprah's couch, Matt Lauer's interview).

Finally a movie reviewer whose reviews I've never agreed with.

Quite a quandry indeed. Guess I'll just have to see Valkyrie and make up my own mind. It's not like this movie's gonna do any box office anyway. Plus it's always kind of peaceful sitting in an empty movie theather. This one's a must see for me.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008 09:57 PM

But he can dance!

Don't write Cruise off that quickly, his performance in Tropic Thunder was nothing short of brilliant, he basically stole the film. The boy actually has some talent as an actor, no matter how haywire he is otherwise. I was hoping to see some of that in this one. Well, I'll see it and judge it for myself.

In the meantime, enjoy this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e7XLioq58k

Thursday, December 25, 2008 02:45 AM

@libertyson

I totally agree

"Usual Suspects"

Was lauded from Hollywood to Washington D.C!

"Apt Pupil"

On the other hand

Was sharp, brilliant

And unfortunately a sleeper

Singer's cold examination of the cruel banality of evil

Was more much much more than just a garden variety

Steven King

Drive in movie

Nickel and dime

Creature feature..

Thursday, December 25, 2008 03:15 AM

I've never been to Cashmuckistan

I certainly do agree

That cruise is more boy

Than man.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 04:13 AM

They should have called it "Marlkyrie and me"

It could have been about a plot to kill Hitler,s dog. Or maybe about a cute Florida couple adopting a somewhat repentant Nazi. Either way-GOLD!

Thursday, December 25, 2008 04:19 AM

It could of been a T. Cruise soft porn too...

How does the title

"On Golden Eva Braun" grab you?

Thursday, December 25, 2008 05:12 AM

Stauffenberg and Scientology

You might have mentioned that there was much opposition in Germany against Tom Cruise. People feel that a Scientologist is miscast in the role of Stauffenberg. Scientology here is perceived to be very similar to Nazism.

It took many years for the German public to accept that Stauffenberg was a hero and not a traitor. Some people still see him as the latter. It's really too sad that the German movie industry did not see fit to make such a movie.

By the way, Stauffenberg's family survived and one of his sons became a General in the German Army.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 05:46 AM

Hitler's Horrific Magnetism on the Post Modern Mind

Seems to attract hosts of History/

Hitler Channel addicts

Living room

Arm chair

Archie Bunker historians

Town criers

Holocaust deniers

Bands of brothers

Bands of varied others

Calling others

Wrong

Or liars

Blind in mind

And spirit

To documented ice cold

Cabinets

Crammed with war crimes

This hit list

This Hitler delerium

Is the the morbid television opiate

Of the golden age

Of the American

Serial killer thrilled Imperium..

Thursday, December 25, 2008 06:37 AM

What about all the good things Hitler did?

He fought the evil imperialist Zionist America. That at least gets some credit here.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 07:09 AM

Yucky Nazi fetishism

Ugh. Kookball Cruise wants to get his rocks off by dressing up and playing Nazi but still wants to be the "good guy." What a perfect combo for a fetishistic loony. Bleh.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 07:37 AM

The Emperor is Wearing No Clothes

After enduring disingenuous nods from reviewers Kenneth Turan and Manohla Dargis, filmgoers are finally allowed to enjoy something, anything about this tedious exercise in major studio excess. Stephanie Zacharek risks losing her press pass to all future United Artists films by telling the sad truth about Cruise's comically bad turn.

Why is everybody afraid of this media magnate, whose acting deceit destroys an otherwise 'workmanlike' film? Director Bryan Singer steers the crippled ship sturdily into the storm, and the script by Christopher McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander delivers a concise, suspenseful telling of a failed plot to assassinate Hitler. John Ottman does double duty, and deserves kudos for his crisp editing and a swelling, emotional, even award-worthy music score.

Big studio obfuscation and manipulation of bad movie openings is a holiday tradition, but this rollout reeks of special favors. Meanwhile, expect to see UA Chairman Cruise at the Oscars with his able crew.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 07:48 AM

Abberant History, Lousy Movie, and Tom Cruise Is A Douche Bag

First off, there are no "Good Guys" in this story. They're all Nazis, and the reasons they wanted to snuff Hitler weren't altruistic at all. Those of you who know something of the War in Europe will recall that after the British kicked the Luftwaffes' ass in the Battle of Britain, Hitler went berserk, and decreed that it would be He and He alone that ran the day-to-day operations of the war, to the chagrin of the Generals, which not only frustrated their planning, but pissed them off royally. (It's ironic to note that if Hitler had authorized the release of his Reserve Panzer Tank Divisions immediately after the invasion had started, most notably the 2nd & 116th, the invasion would probably have been repelled. But Hitler refused to allow them to be implemented, resulting in the Allied victory. In effect, he ruined any hope that the German Army could resist the invasion, by way of his strategic ineptitude)

The German General Staff realized that with Hitler calling the shots, defeat at the hands of the Allies was inevitable, and the only way they could even hope for a reversal of any kind, was to eliminate Hitler. Therefore, this plan was implemented. They were not looking to sue for peace, to the contrary, they sought victory over the Allies, and might have achieved it if they had killed Hitler. At the very least, if they had succeeded, it would have prolonged the war.

It is also a historical fact the the Allies discontinued all attempts to kill Hitler after the Battle of Britain, because they knew with Hitler in direct command of his forces, the war would be over sooner.

Despite the fact that Cruises' career has "Jumped the Shark", this movie is way off the mark, not only historically, but also with respect to quality. It's basically a fat paycheck for the actors involved. It isn't inspiring, it's rubbish. Hopefully, this will be the last of the Tom Cruise vehicles we'll have to endure.

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