Zero Dark Thirty

[Steve Williams]

I saw this movie this morning with my wife.I must admit that I have waited on this one for several months as it is getting all of the buzz.As a result if there ever was a case of expectation bias, this was it. Nonetheless this movie delivers on every level and clearly falls into my top 3 of the year. Totally impossible to get in yesterday so I went to the first morning showing today and for good measures I saw it with my wife at a truly unique movie watching experience at a new chain of theaters called Cineopolis ( www.cineopolisusa.com )where the seats are reserved (you pay a premium) but the theater has posh leather motorized reclining seats with a switch on each seat to ring for your waiter or waitress where you can order from a full gourmet menu as well as a full bar. Maximum of 60 seats in each of the 6 theaters with SOTA digital projectors.

This film is best called a docudrama based on one woman's work to spend years of her life tracking down Usama Bin Laden. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow who teams up once again with Mark Boal who not only did the screenplay but was also an Executive Producer. How can we forget the Hurt Locker where she won for Best Picture and Best Director. I loved that film and was my winner as well for Best Picture that year. Having said that I also loved this film but just not as much as Hurt Locker On a scale of 1-10 Hurt Locker was a solid 9 whereas ZDT is an 8-8.5. Many feel the movie was too long at 2 hours and 27 minutes. I was riveted to the screen for the entire time and was not once distracted. The torture scenes depicted were certainly unsettling as the movie starts after 9/11. It shows the character Maya played by Jessica Chastain as a woman working for the CIA intelligence and the years she spent investigating every lead until she finds him and because of her the raid on the compound in Pakistan by Navy SEALS took place.

Jessica Chastain for the moment gets my vote for Best Actress until I see Naomi Watts in The Impossible


The final half hour deals with the SEALS raid and I couldn't move. It was every bit as intense as in The Hurt Locker.

I can't believe Kathryn Bigelow wasn't nominated for her picture

This movie won't be liked by all. My wife didn't like it. Argo is her Best

My top 3 of the year are

1. Zero Dark Thirty
2. Argo
3.Lincoln

Top 5
4. Silver Linings Playbook
5. Les Mis

Honorable Mention
Life Of Pi
Django Unchained

 

[Mobiusman]

Steve,

At your recommendation and because of the Hurt Locker, I saw Zero Dark Thirty yesterday and somewhat disagree with your assessment. I had the bias of expectation based on The Hurt Locker and was quite disappointed by comparison. For me, more than enjoyment, a movie should engage, which is easily measured by how often you fall out of the movie and return to reality. This happened to me at least 10 times durng the first 3/4 of this movie. The final quarter was the best, but still DVD material.

On the other hand, Django Unchained was wonderful. While there was a lot of "nigger" talk, it was appropriate to this terrible time in our country. The blood bursts were excessive, but the killing was not. The humor was incredible and the direction breathtaking. Leonardo Caprio was brilliant and was robbed by the Academy.

 

[Steve Williams]

I saw Django after I got home from Dallas with you and Marty and loved it. Typical QT but often alienates those in Hollywood

 

[ack]

This film is best called a docudrama based on one woman's work to spend years of her life tracking down Usama Bin Laden. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow who teams up once again with Mark Boal who not only did the screenplay but was also an Executive Producer. How can we forget the Hurt Locker where she won for Best Picture and Best Director. I loved that film and was my winner as well for Best Picture that year. Having said that I also loved this film but just not as much as Hurt Locker On a scale of 1-10 Hurt Locker was a solid 9 whereas ZDT is an 8-8.5. Many feel the movie was too long at 2 hours and 27 minutes. I was riveted to the screen for the entire time and was not once distracted. The torture scenes depicted were certainly unsettling as the movie starts after 9/11. It shows the character Maya played by Jessica Chastain as a woman working for the CIA intelligence and the years she spent investigating every lead until she finds him and because of her the raid on the compound in Pakistan by Navy SEALS took place.

...

The final half hour deals with the SEALS raid and I couldn't move. It was every bit as intense as in The Hurt Locker.

I agree with your assessment; gripping and riveting is how I would describe it as well. The raid was exactly how I had read it in the media back then.

 

[jazdoc]

Saw this last night. I had low expectations going in as I believe that "The Hurt Locker" is one of the most overrated films of the past decade. For me, this was by far the best film of 2012 and made some best picture and director nominees look like Film School entries. I'm a huge fan of "Argo" and "Life of Pi" but have to concede that "Zero Dark Thirty" was a better film. Not to be missed.

 

[Steve Williams]

Coming out of the theater yesterday and overhearing everyone talking even the women (except my wife who thought the film was too long) raved about the film. Kathryn Bigelow is truly a diretor who knows how to bring a story to the big screen.

Mark, I must disagree about Hurt Locker. When I walked out of the theater I said to my wife that it will win Best Picture and Best Director

 

[DaveyF]

To go OT for a second, I see that you saw the movie at one of the new 'reserve a seat' type of theaters. In my area, a new theater has just opened called ArcLight...essentially using the same context. Higher ticket price, but you get a reserved seat and a few extra goodies like you described. Seems these type of theaters are springing up everywhere now....must say something about the economy.

 

[Steve Williams]

Ours is a new chain called cinepolis and I believe there is one near you in Del Mar. Very posh. Yes seats cost more but for me was worth the extra to see the film I want in a posh theater with automatic reclining theater seats and a reserved seat.Their menu is terrific and far from theater food but that is there too as well as a full bar. A push of a button on your seat and a server appears to take your order. No one has a blocked view as the rows are very wide and all theater seating. Only 60 seats per theater

www.cinepolis.com

Back OT

 

[mep]

I would pay extra money to go to a theater where they guarantee that they won't allow crazy people to come in the theater with guns and kill the patrons. Ordering a drink would be icing on the cake.

 

[WLVCA]

Saw Zero Dark Thirty this evening and thought it was a very good movie. Even at 2 1/2 hours it kept my attention throughout.

The city scenes in Pakistan were incredibly realistic and the attack on the bin Ladin compound was well done.

Took some courage to give the OK and execute the raid when bin Ladin's presence was not certain.

I'd read a couple of reviews that warned of the graphic nature of the torture scenes but they weren't too bad. I'm not one for gore.

Not certain I'd pick it over Argo but both were well done, close competition between the two.