...it's not dark yet, but it's gettin' there...

April 28, 2006

United 93

I just got done seeing United 93. I don't mind telling you that I hate them. I truly hate them. If I could get my hands on a jihadist right now, I would easily and gladly kill him.

I never want to hear another word about Guantanamo Bay, or rendition, or the fucking cartoons, or how we should be nice nice. I could flush a thousand Korans down the toilet right now. Fuck them.

Fuck them.

Go see the movie. It's done in a gritty, matter-of-fact, almost documentary style. It increases the feeling that you are watching real events. Which is important because these were real events. It actually happened. There are no viewpoint characters, which allows the audience a certain distance from the very horror of that day. But it also makes you want to yell at the screen, "no, no, no, don't you see what's happening!"

To those who said "it's too soon," (and I'm not sure that story wasn't an urban myth blown out of proportion by the anti-American media) I wonder how such weak people ever get out of bed in the morning. I'm sure the passengers on flight 93 thought it was "too soon" too. I'm sure they would have liked a little more time. But in this world, sometimes there are unpleasant realities that must be confronted. And thank God there are still people who will do what needs doing when the time comes.

Update: RightGirl is pissed too.

Joshua and Josue have similar thoughts as well as names.

And see Rich Lowry's column too.

And definitely see Cranky Insomniac take apart WaPo's hit piece on the movie.

Probably the best review you'll find is by Ms. Underestimated. Smash's is also a must read.

And welcome Hot Air fans!

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Posted by annika, Apr. 28, 2006 | TrackBack (5)
Rubric: annikapunditry



Comments

Hey, you sound like me with all the f-bombs! ;-)

I haven't even seen it yet, and I felt the same rage all over again just from the TRAILERS. I'm probably going to have to find some Xanax before I go see it, or I'll be a screaming maniac in the theater. I've gotta see it this weekend!

Posted by: Beth on Apr. 28, 2006

Xanax, why didn't I think of that?!

Posted by: annika on Apr. 28, 2006

yeah the trailers are getting to me too, i have to go.

Posted by: jane on Apr. 28, 2006

F Bombs and Beth...LOL...and me...

I hate them too...and I'm seeing the movie Monday night. I plan on being--- angry, sad, proud, shocked, awed...

Posted by: Raven on Apr. 28, 2006

You go Annie.

I take it back.

Posted by: shelly on Apr. 28, 2006

Thanks for the link, Annika. I just saw the film myself and I agree with you.Even putting the realities of the situation aside, it was an expertly crafted film, made all the more powerful because it did really happen.

My full review's now up at my site.

-Cranky

Posted by: The Cranky Insomniac on Apr. 28, 2006

I always think about Barbara Olson, and what a lovely intelligent woman she was.

Posted by: Casca on Apr. 29, 2006

I want to go too. I think we need for people who are obsessed with Gitmo, and "Koran abuse" to remember what happened. To be honest, I think our Pres needs to go see it to, and then get back in the game.

One question; is it too intense to take my two daughters?

Posted by: Pursuit on Apr. 29, 2006

Depends on their age. It is rated R and the final moments are probably too scary for small kids.

Posted by: annika on Apr. 29, 2006

Thanks for the link Annika. As I exited the theatre and walked into the multi-million dollar mall its 30 screens were housed in--I looked really hard at the people around me and asked myself if I would be willing to band together with them to defeat a enclosed terrorist threat. Ironically, in 2004, the FBI actually took down an Islamic terrorist cell that was trying to blow up the very mall in which I saw this movie.

I rode home in silence, listening to the road traffic and general life noises of the men, women, and children around me--thanking God for their presence in my life. And for once, I didn't complain about anyone's driving habits, for once I was able to forgive transgressions.

Posted by: Joshua Minton on Apr. 29, 2006

Wow. I am all of these things STILL without seeing the movie, and therefore I have decided that there is no possible way that I can see such a movie...I was pretty grounded in this decision until I read all of your comments.

I know I can't in the theater, I would want to kill.

Posted by: Jennifer on Apr. 29, 2006

Pursuit: Annika is absolutely right. The last 20 minutes or so are the most intense film moments I've seen since the opening D-Day sequence from Saving Private Ryan. I think I still have claw marks on my left arm from where my right hand was squeezing it.

Obviously only you can judge what's best for your daughters based on their individual traits, but I think I'd keep them away unless they're in their early teens at the very least.

Then again, I think if you're serious about wanting to decrease drug use among teens, the best thing you could do would be to show Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream to every ninth grade class in the country, so my recommendations tend to be a little nutty. Also, I'm not a parent, so what the hell do I know...

Movies.com has a parent review of the film: my comment got kicked back for providing the link, but just go to movies.com and look for their parent review section). Kids-in-Mind has one here, but these are geared towards letting you know about a film's violence, nudity, profanity, etc., rather than its actual intensity, which I think is the issue here.

-Cranky

Posted by: The Cranky Insomniac on Apr. 29, 2006

My brother called from Dallas to tell me I must see it, and not to wait to watch it at home like I do everything else. He said the audience is a large part of the dynamic and that the film was very well crafted. I'm glad Hollywood got it right, and I'll be taking bros advice.

Posted by: Mike C. on Apr. 29, 2006

I was going to avoid seeing this just because I thought it would be too painful to view. I still do think that, but after reading what you have to say, I'm changed my mind and will go see it in the theaters this week.

Posted by: ginger on Apr. 30, 2006

It wasn't a tragedy. A tragedy is something you can't do anything about. Katrina was a tragedy. Annika, I've hated them , silently, every damn day since 9/11. But you just said this so much better. Yeah, I'm going.

Posted by: armchair pessimist on May. 1, 2006