Three Kings

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I hate war films. I avoid war films. I couldn't get through the first 15 minutes of Saving Private Ryan.

But several people recommended this film to me despite my aversion to war films, saying that it was more than that. So I saw it last week and HOLY SHIT. I really really liked it. It's so intense, and very depressing in ways, but made me laugh too.

I liked the portrayal of the characters, how there was complexity and humanity to all of them, in a way that doesn't seem to happen often enough in Hollywood movies.

There wasn't a thread on this film, and IMO it's a powerful enough film to merit a thread. If you've seen this, what did you think?

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Friday, 16 July 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it's pretty fantastic. Early on in our relationship, I got in a mini-argument with Sarah's dad and sister because they said this was the worst movie ever.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Friday, 16 July 2004 19:28 (twenty-one years ago)

I like it much better now than when I first saw it in the theater, but I'm still not particularly happy with the bodgy ending. I suppose I was hoping for something as sardonic as the rest of the movie is. Nevertheless, it's a hell of a flick.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 16 July 2004 20:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the colors :-) I too hate war films by the way, but this one was cool!

― Fred (Fred), Saturday, 17 July 2004 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree that the ending was too "easy", everything was solved too nicely. I expected something more cynical, like the Iraqis being shot, but I guess that wouldn't happen in a Hollywood flick. Also, the "where are they now" scenes at the very end were TOTALLY unnecessary. But otherwise, a damn good flick.

I remember when Three Kings first came out, everybody thought it was sort of a light-hearted comedy/adventure movie, because the trailer made it look like one. I went to a preview screening, and at the beginning everyone laughed out loud, but towards the end the whole audience grew dead silent. It was an interesting experience, people certainly liked the film, but not the way they thought they would.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 17 July 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, wasn't the same director responsible for "Flirting With Disaster", a true comedy gem?

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Saturday, 17 July 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Three Kings - great little movie. I love the way its mood flips from scene to scene and also how it mixes genres so casually.
Also, its that rare thing : a (semi) big budget Hollywood movie (from WB, no less) with something to say about politics and US foreign policy. With some great jokes, funny dialogue, and nice action scenes.

If anybody has the dvd, the doc by Russell is worth watching if only for the moment hes riding through Manhattan on his bike with a camcorder and runs into Spike Jonz...on a bike, with a camcorder.

Plus : cool soundtrack - Rare Earth, Beach Boys, Chicago (as a punchline) and pre-irony U2....

― David N (David N.), Saturday, 17 July 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

And what the fuck happened to David O. Russel? He made three very good movies, each one a little better than the one before, and then he hasn't done anything since? What's the deal? Looks like he has a new one coming out soon, though, luckily:

http://www.moovees.com/trailers/i-heart-huckabees.html

― Scott CE (Scott CE), Sunday, 18 July 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha, I have another uncomfortable cinematic experience involving watching Flirting With Disaster with a girl I'd only been going out with for a couple of weeks.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Monday, 19 July 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess this means I should never see Spanking the Monkey.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Monday, 19 July 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

This movie never changed my opinion of war movies, unfortunately. I don't remember it as being bad, exactly, I just ... don't remember it.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 19 July 2004 21:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw Flirting with disaster recently and was underwhelmed, given the positive reviews I'd read of it. I dunno, maybe I'm just sick of Ben Stiller.

I don't think Three Kings changed my opinion of war movies, per se--I still hate them. I think that was part of what impressed me so much about this particular film is that it fit (loosely) in a genre that I absolutely loathe, yet I loved it.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 07:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Russell's new film is completed (adaml saw a screening, I think?) and coming out late this year (Oscar season, I assume)

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 20 July 2004 18:59 (twenty-one years ago)

five years pass...

Russell is currently filming "The Fighter" about 30 mins. from where I live. It's "the story of Irish Rocky Mickey Ward and the half-brother, Dicky Eklund, a fellow boxer who kicked a drug habit and served jail time before helping him to the world lightweight championship." Mark Wahlberg (<3) and Christian Bale are the two main characters. I feel like this has a lot of potential and am pretty excited about it. Then again I'm a sucker for both MW and Boston-related movies.
http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1//2009/07/wahlberg-shirtless/mark-wahlberg-shirtless-fighter-08.jpg http://www.comingsoon.net/nextraimages/fighterset2.jpg

― ENBB, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:08 (sixteen years ago)

Bale looks awful, damn.

― ENBB, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:09 (sixteen years ago)

he looks decently like mickey tbh

― a narwhal done gored my shortstop yunel (J0rdan S.), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:11 (sixteen years ago)

yeah - but bad for him. I didn't realize this was an ILF thread. Am tempted to post elsewhere - do ppl actually read this?

― ENBB, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:12 (sixteen years ago)

Oh wait sorry you meant MW - yes, he does.

― ENBB, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 00:12 (sixteen years ago)

Am tempted to post elsewhere - do ppl actually read this?

Yes. I've been hoping that ILF readership will go up as folks add it to "Site New Answers"

― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 01:37 (sixteen years ago)

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