"Red State" by Kevin Smith

[quade 3]

Watched this today on Netflix streaming. (It was only in VERY limited release in theaters.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0873886/combined
Sadly, Netflix won't let me link to it.

It's supposedly Kevin Smith's last film, as he doesn't want to be involved in making movies any more. This is very different than anything you've ever seen him do before and it's really quite amazing. This is Coen Brothers quality.

I think it's Oscar-worthy for Best Original Screenplay as well as Direction; Smith did both. Additionally Michael Parks deserves an Oscar nod for his performance as well.

Depending on how people react to this post, I might have to move it into SC, but I'd sure like to keep the discussion about the film rather than whatever politics you might think it's about before you actually watch it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Southern_Man 0]

Doesn't look like something I would enjoy.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[captain_stan 0]

What's up with the title of this movie? It sounds so "Michael Moore propaganda" that I was initially discouraged from watching it. But in fact, it has more appeal as a horror/thriller.

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Depending on how people react to this post, I might have to move it into SC, but I'd sure like to keep the discussion about the film

That probably won't be necessary. The plot and characters are so outrageous that few will connect this movie with any real-life political movement. Just as the public never really thought that the Branch Davidians represented Christianity, I don't think that the writers of this movie expect most viewers to believe that Christian churches are typically out to ritually kill gay people or that local law enforcement officers are typically corrupt homosexuals. It's just entertainment folks. The only ring of truth was in how the BATF was negatively portrayed, but in real life they may be more disorganized, incompetent, and reactionary than the deliberate corruption portrayed in the movie.

I found "Red State" to be well-acted, bloody, tense, shocking, horrifying, ironic, and fortunately lacking the political statement that I expected. 7/10 stars.

[mircan 0]

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I found "Red State" to be well-acted, bloody, tense, shocking, horrifying, ironic, and fortunately lacking the political statement that I expected. 7/10 stars.

Watched it last night.
I would rate it 6/10 and that just for the shock factor in some scenes. After watching the trailer I expected more from this movie. Stronger statement? More biased (any side)? More horror/thriller? More tense? It starts good in every one of those, but nothing more.
After "The End" it was "Meh... It sucks, but whatever... Watcha gonna do..."

Then again, I live 10.000 miles away so I guess I`m not into all this (religion vs. government) as you US people are. We have different issues here

dudeist skydiver #42

[captain_stan 0]

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Stronger statement? More biased (any side)?

The very lack of these made this movie tolerable for me. Although I appreciate entertainment that stimulates thought, I resent having ideology fed to me. The lack of heros, the absence of a "good fight," and the vilification of all sides resulted in brain-dead, shock-value entertainment, and I can enjoy that once in awhile.

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all this (religion vs. government) as you US people are.

It's sad to imagine that folks in other countries might think this movie defines a significant political issue in the US.

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We have different issues here

We have way bigger problems here too, but we are sometimes distracted by religious debate. I don't think "Red State" takes itself seriously enough to present such a distraction.

[quade 3]

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The lack of heros, the absence of a "good fight," and the vilification of all sides . . .

To me, that was the single most interesting thing about it!

There is a famous phrase, "everybody is the hero of their own story." What "Red State" does for me is show the story from a lot of points of view with each person being the hero of their own story. It shows almost all of the characters as both good and bad depending on who's story is being told at that instant.

The movie breaks a lot of "Hollywood" rules, which I think is a good thing.

Earlier you said, "The plot and characters are so outrageous that few will connect this movie with any real-life political movement." I disagree. There are absolute parallels in terms of Fred Phelps and David Koresh. The film doesn't shove them down your throat, but it does use them as starting points for a couple of aspects.

I also think it's interesting that folks talk about the shock value of a couple of scenes, but there's also some fairly long sequences which are doing the exact opposite of that and working the suspense side of the equation. It's what Hitchcock talked about and Tarantino makes excellent use of.

The real shocker is this all comes from Kevin Smith, the guy most noted for his stoner comedies with Jay and Silent Bob. Quite the difference in genre.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[mircan 0]

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Stronger statement? More biased (any side)?

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The very lack of these made this movie tolerable for me. Although I appreciate entertainment that stimulates thought, I resent having ideology fed to me. The lack of heros, the absence of a "good fight," and the vilification of all sides resulted in brain-dead, shock-value entertainment, and I can enjoy that once in awhile.

I get the "no winning side" attitude, and that`s OK. Actually very different from mainstream movies. But to me, there is not much to stand out to make this above average movie.

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all this (religion vs. government) as you US people are.

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It's sad to imagine that folks in other countries might think this movie defines a significant political issue in the US.

Well, usually I would not consider this to be a big issue, but according to the number of fiery discussions in Speakers Corner, it seems like a big deal.
Maybe it`s just dz.com thing.

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We have different issues here

We have way bigger problems here too, but we are sometimes distracted by religious debate. I don't think "Red State" takes itself seriously enough to present such a distraction.

+1 on that. I don`t see it as overly serious. But as I said, than it has to have good thriller/horror/action note, which this movie lacks.

dudeist skydiver #42

[captain_stan 0]

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"everybody is the hero of their own story." What "Red State" does for me is show the story from a lot of points of view with each person being the hero of their own story. It shows almost all of the characters as both good and bad

If that's your idea of a meaningful message to be taken from this movie, then you're making my point for me--it has nothing significant to say, except maybe to the philosophically challenged who haven't yet discovered this truism on their own.

[Shotgun 1]

OK, I watched this since you suggested it, and I usually like your film suggestions. It was entertaining, and I was surprised several times during the story, which is always good. I don't know about being Oscar-worthy for the screenplay, but maybe for the direction. (Not that I know much about what is Oscar-worthy or not.) Anyhow, it was different, and something I probably wouldn't have picked out to watch, so thanks for the suggestion.

[ryoder 1,400]

Just watched it.
Quade is right.
Parks is so real as the cult leader that it's scary.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[JohnMitchell 14]

Well, the movie poster had a hot chick w/great legs holding an AK-47. To judge a book by its cover, I'd say I'll love this film.

[ryoder 1,400]

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Well, the movie poster had a hot chick w/great legs holding an AK-47. To judge a book by its cover, I'd say I'll love this film.

That is the same cute blond who was in the last season of "Scrubs".

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.