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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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Thursday, December 25, 2008 04:44 PM

"You people need to rate this movie on its merits, not on how you feel about Mr. Cruise."

Mr. Cruise has made this difficult to do.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 04:34 PM

I hear Hitler doesn't die

Sorry, spoiler.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 04:33 PM

What movie did you people see?

Excuse me.... WHAT MOVIE DID YOU PEOPLE SEE (UNLESS SOME OF YOU JERKS ARE PONTIFICATING WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING SEEN IT)?

My son and I saw this movie today: both of us are history buffs (he's a history major) and we both enjoyed it! The only thing wrong with this movie is the attitude that some of you seem to have towards Tom Cruise.... which means, you are idiots. What you think of him has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW GOOD A MOVIE THIS IS.

This is a very well done, interesting and suspenseful movie that actually mainly sticks to the facts of what really happened. That's when you know it's a good one: when you know what happened, and you're still on the edge of your seat and engaged in the movie.

You people need to rate this movie on its merits, not on how you feel about Mr. Cruise.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 03:26 PM

Hitler doesn't deserve a movie, and neither does his would-be assassin

Von Stauffenberg's story is an interesting one. But to tell it, one must naturally turn attention to Hitler and the rest of his murderous band. The setting must be the East Prussian lair from which the Nazis outlined and executed their murderous rampage upon the Government General of central Poland. Why on earth would anyone want to "go back there" over the Christmas holidays, of all times, particularly when the plot failed? I hope this movie doesn't make a penny.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 02:30 PM

C'mon fess up

You're just pissed he ALMOST was successful.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 11:49 AM

Cruise is good in smaller movies like Jerry Mcguire

In the trailer to Valkyrie it was obvious we were going to see Cruise Playing A Historically Important Nazi You May Have Heard Of. Yawn.

Without his bag of neurotic tics he turns to wood on the screen.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 10:25 AM

Been Done Before

I forget the movie's name, but I remember seeing a movie about Stauffenberg with my Dad back in the 70's. Anyone recall it? I wait until this one's one cable.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 09:48 AM

About "bankable" actors

The only way this wacko could possibly be construed as bankable is in relation to the crooks who caused the current banking failures.

They are failures in the banking industry as this assclown is a failure in all repsects.

I have no intention of seeing this bullshit story as, just like so many books v. movies, it will have no accurate correlation with the historical record.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 09:39 AM

Karma at work

Cruise's appalling denials of chemically-based mental illnesses have been repaid with the loss of any gift he might have had. Let the Church of Scientology restore his at-best-inferior talent.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 08:46 AM

@libertson

I think that "Apt" was glossly overlooked

Mostly ignored

And went unevaluated

Of Singer's work so far

I think it should be his most critically appreciated.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 08:27 AM

Snooze Cruise

From the moment I saw the trailer and heard Cruise's Von Stauffenberg speaking without a German accent, I groaned. There went the authenticity for me. This is the kind of powerful WWII movie that could have been great. I know European actors like Tom Wilkinson, Kenneth Branagh and Carice Van Houten could have played their parts with pitch-perfect German accents. But not Cruise. He lacks the depth and finesse. Sure he has talent. But he should stay with Americana. He's out of his league here.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 08:26 AM

I don't get the lack of Apt Pupil appreciation either Klytus

At first just figured no one saw it. Then people did and started raving about it. Maybe it's just one of those movies that never really caught on. Critics could have championed it more strongly though.

Thursday, December 25, 2008 07:50 AM

@Sanchez

Last time I looked

That only got credit

In your Effed up

Kook book.

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.

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.

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