W - The George Bush Movie directed by Oliver Stone

How is Bush the Leader of the Free World if he's some sort of powerless puppet?

He lied to the US people, to the world, to the Iraqis, to the Afghanis, to everyone. Then hundreds of thousands of people died. It was his administration - his right-hand-man Colin Powell, his 'media' guy Karl Rove, his White House spokespeople, his entire crew who created this mess.

It's not bashing to call someone out on being bad at what they do. I guess the cops are just criminal bashers, doctors are just disease bashers. I guess, by your logic, there is nothing wrong with disease and criminals. Genius.

Stop being blinded by the flag. Look at the people. Look at what they've done to your country. Look at the anti-US sentiment around the world. If you think Bush is blameless, you're too late to save.

And spare me a 'b...b...but Clinton!!!!" response. It's undignified for everyone involved.

reply to post by dariousg


Now we're cooking!! He acted based on the INTEL that was presented to him, as do all presidents. Just take a look at the alleged INTEL we supposedly had prior to Pearl Harbor. Who actually created and presented the information? That's a stumper. I will leave that for future generations to figure out. How can anyone be called a liar if they believe that the information presented to them is true? Just ask a Criminal Defense attorney

Originally posted by jibeho
Oliver Stone is an idiot! The release of this movie during the election and while Bush is still in office is ludicrous. This simply says it all about the MSM. If Hollywood swung to the right, you would never see this kind of disrespect for anyone still in the office of President. Why didn't Stone make a flick about Clinton at the end of his term? I think the sexcapades in the White House and the trials and tribulations of his Lesbian wife would have had a greater entertainment value. Bush is pretty boring when compared to the Clintons.

President Bush deserves disrespect and out right disdain form the American people. He is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Jails were created for people like him. I could go on an list the atrocities and complete and utter destruction of the America most of us grew up with caused by his irresponsible lies, incompetence and utter disregard for the lives of American Soldiers and Iraqi people. Presidents need to be held liable for there decisions and policies it is our countries future they control for god sake and he has destroyed ours.

Bush's incompetence is a threat to the national security of the US if you ask me.

[edit on 17-10-2008 by Xeven]

reply to post by jibeho


Because there was a lot of intel chatter, right across the world, of how the intel the US had was bunk. He would have been aware of that, especially since he hung out with Tony Blair so much, and Tony Blair definitely knew, as further investigation over the pond has shown (re: the 'sexed up' dossier).

So yeah, he lied his ass off, and hundreds of thousands died.

And not to mention the disgrace of a President banging on about Christ all the time. Sickening.

Hate to tell everyone, but this isn't going to be the bash fest people think and/or want it to be.

But "W." also occasionally gets at something deeper. If Stone came to bury the president, he winds up casting him as an unlikely underdog, the younger son apparently incapable of maintaining an honorable family's traditions, always coming up short in his father's cold, judgmental eyes.

It's debatable whether this dollar-book Freud tells us more about the president or about Oliver Stone, but it's an insight -- if a mundane one -- into a subject who may not be complex enough to justify a multifaceted portrait.

Political junkies who have read the right books and seen the relevant documentaries won't find any true revelations here, and ordinary moviegoers may find the treatment too even-handed, even a little humdrum. There is scarcely a hint of the impending economic meltdown -- though Stone and screenwriter Stanley Weiser might say they predicted that nightmare 20 years ago in "Wall Street."

Premature -- right? -- and half-formed, "W." could have used some of that film's energy and anger. But it has its moments, one of the finest at the conclusion: George W. Bush alone in the outfield, waiting for a catch that doesn't come. He hasn't dropped the ball just yet, but he's lost sight of it somewhere between the floodlights and the darkness, and he's very much afraid he might go the same way. It's a haunting, sobering image that speaks volumes.

Source

reply to post by marg6043


I like what you said. Indeed, our past two presidents have been nothing to brag about. We could say the same for other leaders of the world's super powers (Tony Blair, Putin, Chavez etc) . I believe that these supposedly elected officials are a direct reflection of our screwed up society.

Take a close look at the U.S. and how our culture and standards of acceptance have slid downhill over the past 20 years. TV standards are crap, the content of video games is just bizarre (I love video games but where do we draw the line) everyone is so connected virtually that they are disconnected to their immediate surroundings (I see middle school kids riding bikes, texting and shuffling Ipods at the same time) Violence in our schools is out of hand. Schools are now locked down and have cameras everywhere. I am not that old, 36, but we never worried about this crap growing up. When will it end?? All great civilizations fall at some time and we are well on our way.

reply to post by jibeho


Well I am much older I am a child of the 60s and 70s and to tell you the truth we went through the roller coaster of the left over Vietnam era and the raging seventies and we survive and life was good.

I have seen how our nation has degenerated littler by littler and I see the ton of crap that my children (both adults) have to go Thru as they try to make it in this new world order we have.

Sad, because life was a lot easier back in my days and exciting.

reply to post by jibeho


Ummm, damn....you got me there.....OH WAIT *snaps fingers*! I got it!

THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE THE ONES THAT FORGED THE INTEL IN THE FIRST PLACE!

This is what I am talking about.

Because saying something you BELIEVE to be true is NOT lying. But forging a document and then passing it on as true intel IS LYING. That is what Bush and Cheney are accused of doing and the evidence to clearly pointing at the fact that it is indeed WHAT THEY DID.

Man, I can keep going on but I see where you stand. You are standing where I was a while back. Blinded by patriotism.

As for the intel before Pearl Harbor, well, that IS another story altogether and would take on an already thoroughly discussed topic.

You see, there's a difference between IGNORING intel (Pearl Harbor and supposedly 911) and CREATING intel to perpetuate a lie!

reply to post by jibeho



And I must star this response because you really hit the nail on the head. Our society is so caught up on the virtual world now that we are ALLOWING these terrible things to happen. We can be blatantly lied to and accept it as fact simply because we have zero ambition to do anything about it. That is what I am seeing more and more with the kids in our society.

It's more about how quickly they can get home from school to play the Xbox 360 or WOW on the computer. Those worlds are now THEIR reality and life is the game.

reply to post by dariousg


I think it is safe to let this one rest for now. I just hope I can successfully raise my kids in this bizarre world and I hope the rest of us will say enough is enough so that future generations do not have to endure all of this bunk.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
reply to post by heliosprime

 

So you want to execute someone for exercising their right for free speech?

You want to exercise someone for criticizing the government?

Oliver stone is the second biggest pile of garbage on the planet behind Mickie Moore................and yes, there is a huge difference between 'free speech" and treason........stone is a traitor..........

Actually, from the many reviews I've been seeing, a lot of critics have said it's a good movie, and that it's pretty much a good protrayal of Bush, for good or bad.

Sure, there's an element of propaganda involved. Hence the studio's rush to release the picture prior to the elections.

Why wasn't it made sooner? Maybe because Stone couldn't get the picture funded. Wasn't his last picture a potboiler about a firefighter stuck in the World Trade Center on 911, starring Nick Cage?

Stone's made some unpopular choices...movies that turned out to not be such great investments (...like that football film). He had to be a hack for a while to regain credibility so that he could start choosing riskier projects again.

I look forward to seeing this film.

Last msg on the youtube page for the trailer:

"Bush is possibly the greatest president we have ever had. Bush-McCain more of the same. THANK GOD! Did u know that 40% of all Americans dont pay taxes. Obama wants to give a "tax cut" to "95%" of Americans. He really means tax people that make more than 250,000 65% of their money (yes he will take more than half their paychecks) and he wants to give it to those 40%. His tax plan is ACTUALLY the biggest welfare program ever proposed.. If you all want to be communist then by all means vote 4 him."


Honestly, I know many americans, as well as many that are on here. But god, even you great americans must look at your country men and honestly think... WHAT THE #!?

[edit on 17-10-2008 by king9072]

Originally posted by jibeho
reply to post by marg6043

 

Take a close look at the U.S. and how our culture and standards of acceptance have slid downhill over the past 20 years. TV standards are crap, the content of video games is just bizarre (I love video games but where do we draw the line) everyone is so connected virtually that they are disconnected to their immediate surroundings (I see middle school kids riding bikes, texting and shuffling Ipods at the same time) Violence in our schools is out of hand. Schools are now locked down and have cameras everywhere. I am not that old, 36, but we never worried about this crap growing up. When will it end?? All great civilizations fall at some time and we are well on our way.

Jibeho,good post,im put in mind of this quote by American writer Michael Ellner:

"Just look at us,everything is backwards;everything is upside down.Doctors destroy health,lawyers destroy justice,universities destroy knowledge,governments destroy freedom,the major media destroys information and religions destroy spirituality."

I think since the inauguration of King George in which everybody lined the streets and,in unprecedented union,turned their backs on him as he drove by,the man has been a national disgrace.
I'd like to say I do love visiting America and find the people truly friendly but I think this man,his fear-tactic policies,his prioritizing of corporation's interests over electorate,his complete disregard for social/environmental issues,his rabid warmongering and his ambassadorial ineptitude in general has been one big fat joke.
I do suspect many of his administrative decisions/agendas have more aligned to the wishes and concerns of various multinational corporations and overtly religious think-tanks,I also think he holds the majority of the people in the United States in utter contempt.
JMHO.

[edit on 02/10/08 by karl 12]

Perhaps I'm alone in this sentiment, but I'd actually like to stay on-topic and discuss 'W.'...the movie.

I saw it earlier this afternoon. And while, like many, I expected a farcical telling of the 43rd presidency. What I found, contrary to the theme pushed forward by the rather-entertaining trailers, was an attempt by Stone [for whichever reasons...I'll leave it to you fine folk to figure this out] to portray the sitting US president as a somewhat pitiable son of a great man [yes, Stone's G.H.W. Bush comes off as stately and sober, versus his gutly and certainly not sober son]. W. is always trying to find himself and a drink, until of course he quits drinking and finds Jesus. The Nine Eleven Event is glossed over, relevant to Stone's film only as the precursor to the war in Iraq [and beyond...Iran's primacy in the oil-rich Eurasian arena ominously alludes to the inevitability of an American war with Iran...but that's another topic for another thread].

And Iraq is central to the film as it is, of course, to the man's presidency. Bush's cast of characters, casted superbly, includes Thandie Newton's spot-on portrayal of a mousy and deferential but highly-skilled Condaleeza Rice, with Richard Dreyfuss' point-blank execution of "Vice" [W.'s nickname for Cheney] is haunting in its accuracy. [insert hunting "accident" joke here]

Colin Powell, played by the always-spectacular Jeffrey Wright, is clearly torn between his pragmatic and conscionable objections to the imminent invasion of Iraq, and his admirable duty-driven behavior as a "good soldier", even when serving as Secretary of State.

In conclusion, the film was interesting, and it was fun to try and read between the lines. This is, after all, the official Hollywood version of one of the most controversial leaders in American history. And despite Hollywood's oft-derided liberal stance [d'uh], it still serves the same master that corporations, oil men, war-mongerers and politicians serve. So don't expect Stone to knock the cover off anything substantial, except maybe to show that, in his artistic vision, George W. Bush is, at the end of the day, a human being.

Which is also another debate for another thread.

For what it's worth, I give the film a B-. There are some good laughs, it's not too over-the-top, but it does little to satisfy the conspiratorial cravings of so many of us here.

[edit on 10.17.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

Originally posted by ItsTheQuestion
For what it's worth, I give the film a B-. There are some good laughs, it's not too over-the-top, but it does little to satisfy the conspiratorial cravings of so many of us here.
[edit on 10.17.2008 by ItsTheQuestion]

Well thanks for not detracting from the thread,I've read that Oliver Stone actualy had to go overseas to get the funding to make the film as no-one in the US would touch it.
In all fairness I have only seen the trailer so I can only speculate but on first impressions it looks to me like a predictable 'candy floss' kind of film which fails to address core topics and sheens over many unanswered questions.
Perhaps the humanisation of George was the films main objective.

The one I would like to see is an open,dispassionate analysis of the conspiracy theories surrounding his father-now that would be one to watch.


[edit on 02/10/08 by karl 12]

WTC was a total mess (script, acting, editing,...) and it had a feeling like "i apologise for being bad all these years. It was Cocaine, not me".
in case of "W" it think it is another "Doors" but without music. A friend of mine once said "If Jim was drunk/high all the time how he manage to read/write all this stuff that shaped his works".
Most sports movies are money pits. check boxofficemojo for details.
BTW lets say that if mr "W" isn't evil/manipulative/reptilian/SOB america will love him to death. Somehow he will be simmilar to Groucho Marx caharacter in "Duck Soup" or Bart Simpson. If he isnt evil/.../.../... he will be perfect buddy to get drunk with.

[edit on 17-10-2008 by clock1]

[edit on 18-10-2008 by clock1]

[edit on 18-10-2008 by clock1]

Originally posted by heliosprime

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
reply to post by heliosprime

 

So you want to execute someone for exercising their right for free speech?

You want to exercise someone for criticizing the government?

Oliver stone is the second biggest pile of garbage on the planet behind Mickie Moore................and yes, there is a huge difference between 'free speech" and treason........stone is a traitor..........

Oliver Stone isn't a traitor. Oliver Stone is a patriot. He is speaking out against the government, much like, people in the Vietnam era did.

Originally posted by dave420
reply to post by jibeho

 

So yeah, he lied his ass off, and hundreds of thousands died.
And not to mention the disgrace of a President banging on about Christ all the time. Sickening.

Yes,I tend to agree.
I don't think it will ever occur but it is interesting that actual U.S. laws exist which could to prosecute George Bush and his colleagues with murder the minute he steps down from office.
www.charlottedennettforattorneygeneral.com...


As for him being a religious bigot,its not suprising when you see who was one of his closest advisors:

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 02/10/08 by karl 12]