Valkyrie

[Threshold]

Just got back from Valkyrie! Found the first half of the film to be good, but the second half of the film was near perfection. The dialects of the actors never bothered me for a second. Valkyrie restores much of my faith in Singer. It's now obvious that with the director of this film, The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, and X2... Superman Returns was only a slight, albeit expensive, misstep.

[Mikelus]

If Valkyrie doesn't do well, I don't think the studio is going to be happy.... Singer already failed with SR, so his reputation is going to suffer some more.

[batman44]

Just got back from seeing this, I thought it was pretty good. Cruise wasn't a bother at all for me.

[LastSunrise1981]

I'm employed at a theatre and every showing for Valkyrie has been packed. I plan on catching it myself very soon.

[Lord Blackbolt]

What's your point? Speilberg mishandled every budget he worked with until he made Raiders of the Lost Ark. :o




Singer wishes he has even a ounce of talent Spielberg had in the early 80's

[Jolie_Desastre]

Just got back. I thought it was an great film. It was shot very well. Singer did a good job in my opinion, and I really don't get the hate for Cruise in this film. He didn't bother me at all and he did a good job as always. He was believable throughout. The other performances were great as well. Like someone stated above, the second half was a lot better than the first half, even though the first half was pretty good. 8/10

[Lord Blackbolt]

Cruise is always awesome in movies. I think he deserves a oscar by now. Probably not for this movie...but he'll get one some day

[Jolie_Desastre]

I agree he'll get one one day. He's had countless oscar worthy performances.

[TNC9852002]

People tried spreading a lot of negativity on this movie initially, but after hearing some reviews recently, I've become quite interested.

I'll try to see this on Sunday.

-TNC

[dude love]

Singer wishes he has even a ounce of talent Spielberg had in the early 80's

What in the blue fornication does that have to do with budget management?

[TheVileOne]

Cruise did OK, but the rest of the actors were really strong.

This was a very well made, intense movie. I don't get the hate about it. Why are so many people complaining about accents? It's an English language movie about Germany. Big f'n whoop. It's not necessary they use accents.

Honestly, I think it's pretty silly they are forcing them to use European accents in Defiance since they are speaking English. I doubt Jews in Europe were speaking English like that, so I see no point in giving Liev Schreiber and Daniel Craig yiddish accents.

[echostation]

it looked like a great film and was a great film but not certainly in the damn 90-100 million buck range! God damn Singer doesn't know how to spend money at all...

this film should've cost 65-70 million tops... all he did was make troops run out of here and there on smaller type of "large looking" set shots... if that makes sense, each frame of all the major buildings shown were very very tightly framed, each shot was more close up and tightly framed too... even the opening battle didn't have that epic WW 2 type feel, yet it still friggin cost 90 million?? wtf

[TheVileOne]

I don't know what you are talking about the movie looked great and had very good production values.

Also, Tom Cruise = money. Plus they had issues with shooting in Berlin for the production.

Extras and the location shoots. And again, Tom Cruise plus you had an A+ cast of performers.

[Antonello Blueberry]

Problem is, Singer also mishandled SR's budget, so is not the first time. :o
That is a lie too.

[dude love]

That is a lie too.

Yo, Antonio we cool with the budget issue?

I've noticed quite a few people blatantly ignoring the facts, it's like they've made it their life's goal to bring down a movie that they wouldn't have cared about if it was made shot for shot by any other solid direct and starred somebody like Matt Damon doing an American accent and they probably would be creaming their pants if it was made shot for shot by Christopher Nolan and had Christian bale doing an American accent.

[PWN3R]

After all the waiting for this movie, Singer delivers. The best part was easily the cast, such a solid one group of actors. Bill Nighy and Christian Berkel were the absolute best. Loved the movie.

And lolois did Eddie Izzard look awesome in a Nazi uniform or what? Ha!

[I Am The Knight]

So now that the movie is out and people are liking it we get The Usual Suspects to bring down the movie based on it's alledged budget. Wonderful!

[Mostpowerful]

So now that the movie is out and people are liking it we get The Usual Suspects to bring down the movie based on it's alledged budget. Wonderful!

:cwink: Yeah, it's so obvious to me... quite predictable. And don't forget the accents thing.. :hehe:

[Spider-Fan]

I just saw Valkryie. As people know, I think the X-Men films he did are a tad overrated and I absolutely hated Superman Returns. That said, I highly anticipated this movie, as a big history buff and the trailers were quite good. However, I had much the same feelings going into SR. Unlik SR, this movie was WONDERFUL! This movie never drags, it captivates you, and gets you involved. I loved watching the events unfold in the film, and feel the actors gave great performances. Of the 3 films I have seen the last 3 days (The Spirit and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button being the other two), this one was my favorite of the 3. The accents thing didn't bug me. This is not the first movie to take place in Europe that ditched native accents. Stop acting like it is.

Great film, and one of my personal favorites of the year :up:

[Mikelus]

Again, some people need to get the facts right and be objective about it. BTW, I think Singer is a good director.

Budget-wise, Superman Returns cost, on the low end of projections, $204 million, or, on the high end, $260 million. Neither figure includes however many dollars Warners spent to market and advertise the movie.

According to Variety, a new Superman would have to be a relatively cheaper Superman, with a budget south of $200 million.

http://fr.eonline.com/uberblog/archive.jsp?uuid=d484c4bf-f5a8-4408-8923-d4aafe190575


Production Budget: $270 million
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=homevideo&id=superman06.htm

[TheVileOne]

Who freaking cares? Enough about Superman.

I thought Valkyrie was a very good, solid movie. It was a nice return to form and comeback for Singer after Superman. Singer stopped trying to mimic Richard Donner.

[Hunter Rider]

Lets cease the SR talk, this movie has nothing to do with that one, If someone wishes to start a "How Valkyrie may effect the next Superman movie" thread, then ask Showtime if it's ok to start one in the Superman section.

[dude love]

Lets cease the SR talk, this movie has nothing to do with that one, If someone wishes to start a "How Valkyrie may effect the next Superman movie" thread, then ask Showtime if it's ok to start one in the Superman section.

Hunter Rider wins this thread.

To the people that have seen Valkyrie, is the score the same as the brilliant peice of music on the films official site? (http://valkyrie.unitedartists.com/)

[Double Down]

Harry Knowles at Aintitcool.com loves Valkyrie:
"VALKYRIE is an exceptional film with an even better story to tell."
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39596

I don't normally see movies like Valkyrie in the theater (I usually wait for the DVD). But based on everything I have read, but I am definitely considering seeing this in the theater.

[Nivek]

So, all the complaints we're just pointless Singer/Cruise bashing?

[Jolie_Desastre]

Pretty much

[Nivek]

Thats kinda Pathetic, but honestly given all the projected hate I seen the man get from SR it doesn't surprise me. With Cruise, despite the guy having mad talent, people just want to bash him for his off camera quirks.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^It is ridiculous, whats funny is it seems to be the people who disliked SR giving the hate for Valkyrie, when the 2 movies have NOTHING to do with each other.

[daywalker2007]

well overall, Singer has a decent budget to profit ratio for the films he has made, Superman Returns being the only real problem in his portfolio.

Maybe word of mouth will drag Valkyrie to at least close to its budget domestically, and probably internationally it will do better and bring in a decent profit.

[Pickle-El]

Should at least break even by the time the initial run is over in theatres.

I would also venture to guess that a film like this will be very well at on the home video market....DVD sales/rentals should do very well.

[Mostpowerful]

Damn good movie with great performances. And Tom Cruise was fine in the role. This is only more proof to me that Mr. Bryan Singer doesn't know how to make bad films. Superman Returns is still my favorite one of his films, easily.

8.5/10

[Superark]

I'm itching really bad to see this film, but my money is tight right now so looks like I'll have to wait a couple of weeks

[The Guard]

Saw this yesterday. I thought VALKYRIE was a very good movie. I don't know where I'd place it in terms of Singer's past films, but it's definitely one of his best. It may well be his best film technically speaking when all is said and done, despite my love of his X-MEN work, because there's simply not a weak performance to be found, the film is beautifully and tastefully done on almost every level, and the score is at least serviceable. Every actor was on their game, especially Bill Nighy, who gave one of his most subtle performances in a good long while. I don't know that I've ever seen Tom Cruise as "carved from stone" as he was in VALKYRIE, and everyone else was just superb. The lack of accents didn't amount to anything, the way they seguewayed into that was interesting enough, and the lack of German accents for the most part actually added an interesting element with all the random accents flying around. I thought the story, while a bit predictable, was well paced and built well to its strangely satisfying conclusion, and the film was beautifully shot. The score was a bit lacking, but overall, this was a pretty powerful movie, especially when things started to go bad at the end. Singer manages to make something you know is going to happen into a question, and he ratchets up the tension to the Nth degree. The fates of the conspirators were portrayed very well. When Tom Cruise's partner stepped in front of him at the execution and took the bullet for him, even though they were both going to die anyway, I almost cried. I thought that was the moment of the film in a few scant seconds. Very powerful, and very telling for the characters. It makes me wonder if most people would be brave enough to do such a thing, and to take such a stance on what they'd done at the end. If VALKYRIE has a weakness, it's the lack of character development. There's very little, and almost none, in fact, but somehow, the movie doesn't suffer all that much for it.

8/10

[tzarinna]

Saw this yesterday. I thought VALKYRIE was a very good movie. I don't know where I'd place it in terms of Singer's past films, but it's definitely one of his best. It may well be his best film technically speaking when all is said and done, despite my love of his X-MEN work, because there's simply not a weak performance to be found, the film is beautifully and tastefully done on almost every level, and the score is at least serviceable. Every actor was on their game, especially Bill Nighy, who gave one of his most subtle performances in a good long while. I don't know that I've ever seen Tom Cruise as "carved from stone" as he was in VALKYRIE, and everyone else was just superb. The lack of accents didn't amount to anything, the way they seguewayed into that was interesting enough, and the lack of German accents for the most part actually added an interesting element with all the random accents flying around. I thought the story, while a bit predictable, was well paced and built well to its strangely satisfying conclusion, and the film was beautifully shot. The score was a bit lacking, but overall, this was a pretty powerful movie, especially when things started to go bad at the end. Singer manages to make something you know is going to happen into a question, and he ratchets up the tension to the Nth degree. The fates of the conspirators were portrayed very well. When Tom Cruise's partner stepped in front of him at the execution and took the bullet for him, even though they were both going to die anyway, I almost cried. I thought that was the moment of the film in a few scant seconds. Very powerful, and very telling for the characters. It makes me wonder if most people would be brave enough to do such a thing, and to take such a stance on what they'd done at the end. If VALKYRIE has a weakness, it's the lack of character development. There's very little, and almost none, in fact, but somehow, the movie doesn't suffer all that much for it.

8/10


Do you remember what Cruis says right before, ya know? I couldn't make out what Cruise said. Was it in German?

[Spider-Fan]

^It is ridiculous, whats funny is it seems to be the people who disliked SR giving the hate for Valkyrie, when the 2 movies have NOTHING to do with each other.

I'm the opposite. I hated SR, but loved Valkyrie.

The Tom Cruise hate is such BS. I've said it before in this very thread, but it bears repeating. HE IS A GREAT ACTOR! Tom Cruise does not suck. I thought he was good in this, but if you really hate the man, watch A Few Good Men or Jerry Maguire, and THEN you tell me he sucks. In A Few Good Men, he went toe to toe with Jack Nicholson, and the result was a LEGENDARY piece of cinema. Yes, he did stuff in the public eye that was stupid. Who cares? That doesn't make him less talented.

[Jolie_Desastre]

Saw this yesterday. I thought VALKYRIE was a very good movie. I don't know where I'd place it in terms of Singer's past films, but it's definitely one of his best. It may well be his best film technically speaking when all is said and done, despite my love of his X-MEN work, because there's simply not a weak performance to be found, the film is beautifully and tastefully done on almost every level, and the score is at least serviceable. Every actor was on their game, especially Bill Nighy, who gave one of his most subtle performances in a good long while. I don't know that I've ever seen Tom Cruise as "carved from stone" as he was in VALKYRIE, and everyone else was just superb. The lack of accents didn't amount to anything, the way they seguewayed into that was interesting enough, and the lack of German accents for the most part actually added an interesting element with all the random accents flying around. I thought the story, while a bit predictable, was well paced and built well to its strangely satisfying conclusion, and the film was beautifully shot. The score was a bit lacking, but overall, this was a pretty powerful movie, especially when things started to go bad at the end. Singer manages to make something you know is going to happen into a question, and he ratchets up the tension to the Nth degree. The fates of the conspirators were portrayed very well. When Tom Cruise's partner stepped in front of him at the execution and took the bullet for him, even though they were both going to die anyway, I almost cried. I thought that was the moment of the film in a few scant seconds. Very powerful, and very telling for the characters. It makes me wonder if most people would be brave enough to do such a thing, and to take such a stance on what they'd done at the end. If VALKYRIE has a weakness, it's the lack of character development. There's very little, and almost none, in fact, but somehow, the movie doesn't suffer all that much for it.

8/10

I agree with what you said in the spoiler, that got me a bit teary eyed :(

[Jolie_Desastre]

I'm the opposite. I hated SR, but loved Valkyrie.

The Tom Cruise hate is such BS. I've said it before in this very thread, but it bears repeating. HE IS A GREAT ACTOR! Tom Cruise does not suck. I thought he was good in this, but if you really hate the man, watch A Few Good Men or Jerry Maguire, and THEN you tell me he sucks. In A Few Good Men, he went toe to toe with Jack Nicholson, and the result was a LEGENDARY piece of cinema. Yes, he did stuff in the public eye that was stupid. Who cares? That doesn't make him less talented.

:applaud

[Doctor Jones]

Yeah, the people who keep mentioning the couch jumping need to shut the hell up. It was so old to begin with and wasn't funny at all. And his religion, yes it's odd, but seriously, when should people start questioning another's religion? Who the hell cares about this private life. All I care about is his acting and also how he is. He's certainly a nice person.

[The Guard]

Do you remember what Cruis says right before, ya know? I couldn't make out what Cruise said. Was it in German?

It's in English. He yells "LONG LIVE SACRED GERMANY!", which is what he was talking about at one of the key moments in the movie.

[tzarinna]

Ah, thanks. My hearing isn't what it use to be.

[Double Down]

Germans Warm to Cruise in Nazi Film
BERLIN (Dec. 30) - Tom Cruise has defied expectations and won favorable reviews from German critics for his portrayal of a Prussian army officer who tried to assassinate Hitler in 1944 in the Hollywood film "Valkyrie."
German reviewers who were initially highly suspicious have warmed to the film, describing it as a serious work, and Cruise has overcome unease about his suitability for the role.
"'Valkyrie' is neither scandalously bad nor the event of the century. Neither is it the action thriller we feared, but it is a well-made and serious film," said public broadcaster ZDF.
"Cruise plays his part decisively, coolly -- a solid performance, though he won't have a sniff at an Oscar."
The Hollywood actor plays Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg, who planted a briefcase bomb under a table at Hitler's military headquarters in eastern Prussia on July 20, 1944. The heavy wooden table saved Hitler, who suffered only minor injuries.
Stauffenberg was executed the same night with his co-conspirators and his legacy helps ease the burden of guilt about World War Two and the Holocaust Germans still endure.
FEARS UNFOUNDED?
Initially, Germans baulked at the prospect of Cruise, star of blockbusters such as "Top Gun," playing Stauffenberg. Stauffenberg's son even called on Cruise to "keep his hands off my father" and go home.
Many Germans objected to the actor's ties to Scientology, the movement founded in the 1950s by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, and Berlin made it difficult for the crew to film in the Bendlerblock building and courtyard where Stauffenberg was shot dead.
Germany does not recognise Scientology as a religion and regards it as a cult masquerading as a church to make money. Scientologists reject this view.
Valkyrie, directed by Bryan Singer, opened in the United States on December 25 and fared better than sceptics had predicted, reaching No. 4 in the North American box office ratings for the three-day weekend starting December 26.
Before its German release in January, some commentators said Cruise may help to boost the country's image by taking the tale of Stauffenberg to a broader audience.
Frank Schirrmacher, co-publisher of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, said Cruise's depiction would change the image the world has of Germans.
In the ZDF review, German director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, whose "The Lives of Others" won a foreign language film Oscar, described the casting as a stroke of good fortune.
"Germany's hope is called Tom Cruise."
The Koelner Stadt Anzeiger added: "(The fear that) the myth of the German resistance would be put through a Hollywood filter has turned out to be wrong and prejudicial. On the contrary, the American origin of this film is its biggest advantage."
The coverage, however, was not all favourable.
"The film is well-crafted, no explosive, loud war drama but a calm, chronological tale ... the main weakness is Cruise himself, who appears in almost every scene but is stiff," wrote the Badische Zeitung.

http://www.popeater.com/movies/article/germans-warm-to-cruise-in-nazi-film/289591

[terry78]

I love how the Germans of today make sure that anything Nazi or Hitler related doesn't come back to bite them in the ass. They don't even want to say the terms.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I'm the opposite. I hated SR, but loved Valkyrie.

Well thats good, at least you kept an open when going to see the movie despite not liking SR, some others are just ridiculous in that because they didnt like SR, EVERY singer movie from now on they have to bash.

The Tom Cruise hate is such BS. I've said it before in this very thread, but it bears repeating. HE IS A GREAT ACTOR! Tom Cruise does not suck. I thought he was good in this, but if you really hate the man, watch A Few Good Men or Jerry Maguire, and THEN you tell me he sucks. In A Few Good Men, he went toe to toe with Jack Nicholson, and the result was a LEGENDARY piece of cinema. Yes, he did stuff in the public eye that was stupid. Who cares? That doesn't make him less talented.

TOTALLY agreed, I got tired of this argument long ago, but he is a great actor, and thats all I care about, Last Samurai he was superb in, and even blockbusters like WOTW and Minority Report he was great in IMO.

[The Guard]

Ah, thanks. My hearing isn't what it use to be.

It was kind of hard to decipher. Took me a few seconds. I had to think about which key line he'd be repeating to reinforce before I figured it out.

[Mikelus]

'Valkyrie' could bode well for UA

By ANNE THOMPSON

United Artists’ second release, “Valkyrie,” got off to a strong start over the Christmas holiday weekend, grossing $30 million in four days. But the movie will have to hold well domestically and score all over the world to make back its production and marketing costs worldwide, which amount to an estimated $150 million or more.

A lot rides on the success of the film — including the future shape of UA. The financing of that entity, and sister company MGM, is more complex and suspenseful than the plot of the Tom Cruise WWII thriller.

MGM chief exec Harry Sloan has repeatedly said the company is not for sale. But insiders say that Kirk Kerkorian, who last week bowed out of his stake in automaker Ford, is mulling the idea of making an offer for MGM. A sale to Kerkorian would mark his third time as owner of the studio.

If Kerkorian, or anyone else, could buy the MGM debt, he would get a great deal — but first he’d have to figure out the labyrinthine financing.

In November 2006 Sloan gave Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner 35% of UA, plus greenlight authority over their movies budgeted under $60 million.

Looking for investors, Sloan, Cruise and Wagner raised a development fund from football mogul Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins. Then, Merrill Lynch offered a $500 million credit facility contingent on Cruise heading the company.

Since then, UA’s first picture, the $35 million “Lions for Lambs,” was slaughtered by the critics and earned only $15 million Stateside plus $48 million overseas. The second UA movie was to be from Oliver Stone: “Pinkville,” about the My Lai massacre. After “Lions for Lambs” tanked, caution prevailed, and Wagner and Cruise pulled the plug, taking a $6 million writeoff on “Pinkville.”

So the focus is on “Valkyrie.” Given the changing financial climate, will Merrill Lynch, now owned by Bank of America, stay the course?

The revolving deal is predicated on certain benchmarks being met and funds being replenished — something that hasn’t happened yet. Merrill Lynch gave UA $400 million to spend for some 15-18 projects over five years — and $100 million was to follow if the films performed at a certain level.

Last year Sloan brought in ex-Universal production co-chief Mary Parent to do for MGM what Cruise and Wagner were supposed to do at UA: supply commercial product.

When he lured her from her lucrative Universal producing deal, Sloan promised Parent plenty of money to work with. But it turns out that she has much less at MGM than she’d bargained for.

But there’s the money at UA. When Wagner left, the company said that MGM couldn’t access the UA funds. But Parent has now assumed duties at UA as well.

“MGM has full access to UA funds,” says a UA spokesman. “Tom is a partner.”

With Wagner gone, Cruise is leaning on Parent’s expertise. He says he’s going to “take it slow,” working with Parent, and make the right decisions.

Parent insists that it makes more sense for her to look for co-financing partners on the MGM side than for MGM to partner with UA. Better she should make more movies at UA with Merril Lynch’s money, she says. She did steer Joss Whedon’s horror film “The Cabin in the Woods” to Cruise and convinced him to make it as a UA movie. She says they will make two UA movies in 2009. “Tom is involved,” she says. “It’s all about timing. It has to be the right projects.”

They’re banking on “Valkyrie” being the right project. When Parent took over UA, she brought in marketing consultant Terry Press to work on “Valkyrie” and hired Press’ former DreamWorks lieutenant Mike Vollman. (Press is expected to join the MGM/UA marketing staff in the new year after she completes her awards campaigns.)

Director Bryan Singer originally envisioned “Valkyrie” as a modest $20 million palate cleanser between studio tentpoles. His previous film was the $200 million “Superman Returns.” (The budget was possible: Paul Verhoeven’s WWII epic “Black Book” shot at the same Babelsberg studios with many of the same actors for just $22 million.)

But when Cruise climbed aboard, that meant something else entirely.

Cruise was going to get paid his $20 million vs. 20% of the backend. He got his private jet, and his perks, including helicopter rides to the set and two floors at the best hotel in Berlin for his entourage.

The project then got a $60 million budget. But with shooting in Berlin, and Singer rebuilding sets and losing shooting days, it got pricier still. Thanks to German tax rebates, the studio says, the budget wound up at $75 million, although some say it’s closer to $100 million.

Eventually, it dawned on UA and MGM that “Valkyrie” couldn’t make its money back if Cruise collected his share of the backend. UA sold “Valkyrie” to several foreign territories because the deal with MGM requires them to cap their investment at $60 million.

Cruise, Parent, Press and Vollman tried to undo some of the PR damage caused by an initial photo blast of Cruise with an eyepatch and Nazi uniform and an unfocused trailer. Initially, UA pushed the release of the film from October to February in order to give Singer more time to incorporate late filming of the North Africa opening.

When the film was finished in time, the studio moved it up to December to maximize adult attendance at the holiday box office — and, crucially, to meet the Showtime pay TV window, which expired at the end of December.

UA targeted the two male quadrants: The film played best for men over 35. But UA pushed to get young males in as well. Press also urged that they not pursue an awards campaign. Cruise went along; Singer was disappointed. And MGM spent heavily — as much as $70 million — to launch “Valkyrie” domestically. Now the movie must perform.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997847.html?categoryid=2508&cs=1

[Double Down]

^ That's an interesting read.

[Mikelus]

double post

[Venom75]

I saw it the other day and loved it. Adolf Hitler and World war 2 fascinate me to no end,so just the story alone kept my attention(despite knowing what happened). I thought Cruise was good,but I loved how deep they went with the conspiracy and those involved.
I think my favorite moment was when Stauffenberg went to the Berghof. First,that house and the surrounding mountain shot was beautiful. Then,when he walked into that huge room with Adolf Hitler,Himmler,Goring and the heads of state having tea,that was just very intimidating and such an intense moment. Hell,I felt nervous just watching it!
9/10

[Captain Craig]

I saw this movie also and rate it about a B/B+

Very solid movie. Bryan Singer did a good job building the suspense and keeping it tense during the final act. A great cast and well done.

[OsGom]

I was a little underwhelmed by this movie. I felt the same thing could have been accomplished by one of those history channel docudramas for less money. I am a Cruise fan but the character development left something to be desired in my opinion. Especially considering the relationship between Stoffenberg and his assistant and how that all played out. I thought the ending was kind of corny.

[Pickle-El]

That's how someone actually died....and you thought it was a corny death?

[Doctor Jones]

I'm seeing it tomorrow. I'm pretty excited about it.

[Antonello Blueberry]

'Valkyrie' could bode well for UA

By ANNE THOMPSON

United Artists’ second release, “Valkyrie,” got off to a strong start over the Christmas holiday weekend, grossing $30 million in four days. But the movie will have to hold well domestically and score all over the world to make back its production and marketing costs worldwide, which amount to an estimated $150 million or more.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117997847.html?categoryid=2508&cs=1

Someone one day will have to explain to Anne Thompson how movie financing really works. But then she'll probably either keep on living in denial or feel totally useless and kill herself.

[RachelDawes]

I saw this movie also and rate it about a B/B+

Very solid movie. Bryan Singer did a good job building the suspense and keeping it tense during the final act. A great cast and well done.

the character development left something to be desired in my opinion. Especially considering the relationship between Stoffenberg and his assistant and how that all played out.

I agree with both of these. The movie was really good and the cast was excellent but I would've liked to have seen more development of the other conspirators and not just Stauffenberg. A few other random thoughts (SPOILERS!):





-It was heartbreaking watching the conspiracy collapse. I knew they weren't going to be successful, but after they arrested the SS officers I couldn't help thinking, "They're going to pull this off!" and then it was revealed that Hitler was alive. :csad:

-The ending was really gripping. My heart was pounding when those guys were sent in front of the firing squad. The actors did a great job of looking nervous, and I kept imagining how frightened I would feel in the same situation.

-Does anyone know why some of the conspirators were hanged and others were shot?

-Why was that one guy so insistent that Himmler be killed with Hitler? Couldn't they have just arrested him along with the other SS officers?

[Venom75]

-Does anyone know why some of the conspirators were hanged and others were shot?

-Why was that one guy so insistent that Himmler be killed with Hitler? Couldn't they have just arrested him along with the other SS officers?

I believe the ones who were hanged were the people closest to the conspirators or directly involved with the plot. All those who were shot either knew about the attempt on Adolf Hitler's life,or were just old scores that needed to be dealt with.

As far as Himmler goes,well,he was the most powerful man in the state after the Fuhrer. He controlled the SS and Gestapo. He was probably way too powerful to be kept alive in their eyes and would've played a major role in putting down the uprising if it turned out that Adolf Hitler had been killed. Goring(although officially,second man in the Reich)was been disgraced and fell out of Hitler's favor after the Battle of Britain and Stalingrad. After the Fuhrer,I would say the most powerful men of the Third Reich in 1944 would be Himmler,Goebbels and Albert Speer.

[dude love]

Box office preview: 'Marley' to stay on top?
Jan 1, 2009, 06:51 PM | by Nicole Sperling

Categories: Movie Biz

Even Hollywood goes on vacation. So while you're nursing your hangover in Yonkers, they're beaching it in some exotic foreign locale, and the box office is destined to look eerily similar to last weekend's. That means the lovable dog movie Marley & Me stays on top, Brad Pitt's Oscar contender The Curious Case of Benjamin Button generates more coin, the Adam Sandler family dreck Bedtime Stories lures in more unwitting moviegoers, and Tom Cruise continues to fool others into thinking he's a German in the Bryan Singer-directed drama Valkyrie. Happy New Year!

What these four very different movies do have in common is they all seem destined to reach the $100 million threshold, with Marley & Me getting there first, likely crossing it by the time we all return to work Monday. So while you're enjoying the first few days of the New Year, sit back, watch some Bowl games, do your Christmas returns, go see some movies, and check back here to see if any of my weekend box office predictions come true.

The (likely) three-day top five:

1. Marley & Me: $29 million
Earning an additional $14 million this past Monday and Tuesday, there seems to be little that can stop the lovable Marley. And the mixed critical reviews mean nothing when it comes to people and their dogs. Add in the spare time moviegoers have over the next few days, and the Owen Wilson- and Jennifer Aniston-starrer shouldn't drop more than 25 percent in its second weekend in theaters.

2. Bedtime Stories: $19 million
It may not have knocked critics over, but this Adam Sandler kid movie seems to be just what parents need over the holiday break: a break. Monday and Tuesday saw $12 million in box office receipts and I expect the weekend to be equally strong. Even with a likely 30 percent drop from its opening-weekend numbers, the fantasy-comedy will be near $80 million territory after only 11 days in the theaters.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: $18 million
Well-regarded but not necessarily beloved, Benjamin Button will have a hard time overtaking Marley at the box office. The $150 million spectacle is still performing strongly and should hold onto its number three spot easily this coming weekend. But at 2 hours and 40 minutes, its chances of overcoming Stories are slim.

4. Valkyrie: $16 million
Tom Cruise and MGM should be saluted. Valkyrie has endured more negative speculation than any movie in recent memory, but rather than succumbing to the bad buzz, they turned it around and created one of their first self-generated hits. Their weekday numbers have been respectable and after the upcoming weekend, this WWII spy drama will have crossed the $60 million mark after only 11 days in theaters.

5. Yes Man: $12 million
Moviegoers are still saying Yes to Jim Carrey. Nothing this weekend should change that as the Warner Bros. comedy spends its third successful weekend in theaters. Maybe this saying Yes thing really works.


Valkyrie went from it's going to bomb with a 10 million opening weekend to it's going to break $100 million domestic. BOO-YAH!

[Double Down]

Valkyrie went from it's going to bomb with a 10 million opening weekend to it's going to break $100 million domestic. BOO-YAH!

Very cool.

[RachelDawes]

I believe the ones who were hanged were the people closest to the conspirators or directly involved with the plot. All those who were shot either knew about the attempt on Adolf Hitler's life,or were just old scores that needed to be dealt with.

As far as Himmler goes,well,he was the most powerful man in the state after the Fuhrer. He controlled the SS and Gestapo. He was probably way too powerful to be kept alive in their eyes and would've played a major role in putting down the uprising if it turned out that Adolf Hitler had been killed. Goring(although officially,second man in the Reich)was been disgraced and fell out of Hitler's favor after the Battle of Britain and Stalingrad. After the Fuhrer,I would say the most powerful men of the Third Reich in 1944 would be Himmler,Goebbels and Albert Speer.

Thanks. That was informative. :up:

One other thing about the movie that was cool was how Hitler seemed to be this vast, constantly looming presence. When Stauffenberg went to meet him for the first time it was like watching someone enter a lion's den.

[TheVileOne]

Tom Cruise should be kissing Ben Stiller's ass for saving his career and Valkyrie.

I think critics were unfair to this movie as well. Some of them I think still just want to get on Cruise's butt.

I mean yeah, he's Tom Cruise. But this was still a fine, well-made movie. It was exactly what Singer needed to do after Superman Returns since he will probably never do another Superman movie again.

[Spider-Fan]

Some critic complaints for the movie were stupid. Like saying how could this be a suspense-thriller when you know they are going to fail. Should we not have watched Titanic cause we knew the boat sinks? What about bio-epics about famous figures? We know what they did and how they died (if that is in the movie), so should we skip those also? That is a stupid mentality, imo. Also, I don't see how people can say Cruise sucked in this movie. To me, he did a fine job as always.

Glad to see this movie doing well though. It deserves it, and is very underrated.

[Superark]

Tom Cruise should be kissing Ben Stiller's ass for saving his career and Valkyrie.

I think critics were unfair to this movie as well. Some of them I think still just want to get on Cruise's butt.

I mean yeah, he's Tom Cruise. But this was still a fine, well-made movie. It was exactly what Singer needed to do after Superman Returns since he will probably never do another Superman movie again.

I haven't seen the movie yet so I cannot really comment on his performance or the movie in general, but I think what you said is probably true.

People just want to completely hate on Cruise now because of some of his Oprah and scientology antics. Suddenly everyone thinks he's some crappy actor now when in truth he's a GREAT one. It's ridiculous!


Some critic complaints for the movie were stupid. Like saying how could this be a suspense-thriller when you know they are going to fail. Should we not have watched Titanic cause we knew the boat sinks? What about bio-epics about famous figures? We know what they did and how they died (if that is in the movie), so should we skip those also? That is a stupid mentality, imo. Also, I don't see how people can say Cruise sucked in this movie. To me, he did a fine job as always.

Glad to see this movie doing well though. It deserves it, and is very underrated.

Agreed. That is a stupid reason to tell someone not to go see a movie.

[dude love]

Funny all those douchebags are out to bury Cruise because of the couch thing on Oprah... it was friggin' Oprah! Nothing interesting ever happens on Oprah!

[TheVileOne]

Let's be real here. Tom Cruise is wacko, no question. He made a couple mediocre movies.

And then he did Tropic Thunder which was an image salvaging role, and suddenly it was OK to like Cruise again. But since this isn't a movie where he's yucking it up under tons of makeup, it's back to typical Cruise-bashing.

However, if it wasn't for Tropic Thunder, Valkyrie probably wouldn't have been moved up and it probably would've been dumped into Hollywood's burial movie season.

[Alchemyst]

Let's be real here. Tom Cruise is wacko, no question. He made a couple mediocre movies.

And then he did Tropic Thunder which was an image salvaging role, and suddenly it was OK to like Cruise again. But since this isn't a movie where he's yucking it up under tons of makeup, it's back to typical Cruise-bashing.

However, if it wasn't for Tropic Thunder, Valkyrie probably wouldn't have been moved up and it probably would've been dumped into Hollywood's burial movie season.

.....I never saw a problem with Tom Cruise

[Doctor Jones]

Just saw it a few hours ago. It was fantastic. Even though you know what happens you can't help but think they're gonna pull it off. Dammit, it was all Cutler Beckett's fault!

[Spider-Fan]

I was never one to bash Cruise at all. I've been defending him for a while.

[Lobo]

I'll be going to the theater to see this on Monday or Tuesday.

[Nirvana]

I've always been a Tom Cruise fan, my views on him have never changed. :up:

[CELTICPRED]

I was never one to bash Cruise at all. I've been defending him for a while.

Same. His ability to command the screen is unmatched by a lot of actors. Personal shenanigans don't hold much ground for me when I watch actors on screen.


I was the film today, I liked it a lot, there were a few great tense scenes, there was an amazing cast with solid acting, and it was beautifully shot.

I'm glad I saw it.

[the a1ant]

I wasn't expecting much from this film, but it really stunned me! Excellent visuals, perfect acting, and a griping story. Like many have said, you know how it's going to end, but you forget about that when watching the film. Bryan Singer has regained my trust. Suspenseful drama is where he needs to be.

[TNC9852002]

I don't care about Tom Cruise the person at all and I don't see why anyone cares about him either.

All I care about is the movie that I'm watching.

The movie itself, very well done. Bryan Singer still proves that he's a gifted and talented director. I believe the one of the things holding this movie back probably is the pacing. Otherwise there are really decent performances (nothing too special by anyone) and the editing is really good, but I think this movie should be looked at for what it is and not be sidetracked for irrelevant matters.

-TNC

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I haven't seen the movie yet so I cannot really comment on his performance or the movie in general, but I think what you said is probably true.

People just want to completely hate on Cruise now because of some of his Oprah and scientology antics. Suddenly everyone thinks he's some crappy actor now when in truth he's a GREAT one. It's ridiculous!




Agreed. That is a stupid reason to tell someone not to go see a movie.

Exactly, i'm usually a supporter of critics, but their hate on Cruise when this seems to be a good movie is disgusting, they are trying to bring it down just because Cruise is in it, how pathetic?

[Dr. Manhatten]

-Does anyone know why some of the conspirators were hanged and others were shot?
If I recall correctly, the people who were shot were done quickly by Tom Wilkinson's character in real life because he feared they might reveal to higher ups that he knew of the attempt on Adolf's life. He wanted them dead to cover his own ass. Hence the firing squad death. The people who were officially tried and convicted were killed by hanging (with piano wires to make sure they died slowly).

[DACrowe]

I feel most of the hate for this movie is based on those who simply want to dislike it because of Tom Cruise and the bad buzz. I see it is "too historical" and should be on the History Channel. Then I read it is not historical enough and turns WWII into "a boys' club," written by the NYT overreaching feminist. And then I see some say it is not a psychological drama that should explore why these men did what they did and then Ebert praise the movie for its calm quietness and embracing the thriller as opposed to the Oscar-bait.

I agree most with Ebert as he judged it as a film, not something to grind an axe into...because that is what buzz tells you to do.

This is a taut thriller with great acting from Branagh, Nighy, Izzard and Stamp with a solid and good leading performance from Cruise. It is not a classic, but it is a good historical thriller that makes one empathize with the conspirators and their fates and brings you into the assassination plot.

Attacks on accents are ridiculous, especially given Hollywood movies have been notorious since the beginning for that. Are we going to criticize everyone in Casablanca for speaking with an American accent, now? It only bothers you if you let it. The movie flows well and is well told. It may not be a masterpiece, but critics seem to find that an excuse to rip it apart.

I enjoyed it and rooted for the conspirators, even though I knew the ending. It gave a brief window to consider "what if." It was a piece of historical fiction that made the event come to life briefly and consider the possibilities of this moment in history. I think it is a solid 8.5/10 movie and deserve to be recognized as such.


Also, the head conspirators who were caught the night-of were then executed via firing squad that night. The ones arrested later, "tried" and then executed were tortured. You probably couldn't tell in the movie, because it was PG-13, but those were MEAT HOOKS the resistance members were being stabbed and hanged onto. Eddie Izzard was put onto a meat hook (yes, Texas Chainsaw style) and they were filmed in their slow deaths (you can see the camera in the movie) so Hitler could view their deaths and get some jollies out of it. Pretty twisted.

Anyway, good movie.

[TheVileOne]

Guys it doesn't matter that some of you didn't have a problem with Cruise.

The problem is that after everything, Cruise had a very public falling out with his partner company, Paramount. And Sumner Redstone very publically cut Tom Cruise loose. That was very bad for his career.

[The Guard]

Because no one will hire Tom...freaking...Cruise.

Right?

Right?

Being cut loose from a major studio may be the best thing that ever happened for his career.

[TheVileOne]

For now, Cruise is back on the wagon.

[Antonello Blueberry]

He has his own studio now, I'd say he landed on his feet.

[Hush]

Im a huge Cruise fan and this is another add to my collection, I think the guy is great in just about every movie he is in. I really loved this whole movie and how when the characters spoke to each other they all sounded different because that was how they heard them speaking German, it was clever and quite well potrayed. I will be buying this and watching it again for sure.

[RachelDawes]

I saw it the other day and loved it. Adolf Hitler and World war 2 fascinate me to no end,so just the story alone kept my attention(despite knowing what happened).

Have you seen Downfall? It's a German movie about Hitler's final days that was nominated for an Oscar. It's excellent because it's not just about Hitler, but also about his staff and what Berlin was like at the end of the war. I thought it was really interesting listening to the characters speak their native language. You'll have to read English subtitles obviously. Der Untergang is its German title.

[Hobgoblin]

I was disappointed in Valkyrie because I was comparing it to Der Untergang, which was unfair. Untergang really is a great movie. Valkyrie was ok.

[RachelDawes]

I thought both movies were good but in different ways. Valkyrie is a thriller while Untergang is a historical drama. I will say that Untergang is a much better ensemble peice than Valkyrie.

[JaD]

My first film to see in theaters of the new year. What a great way to start! :up: :up:

I remember being thrown off by the whole 'accent' thing when I first saw a trailer for this film. It didn't bother me at all and I was greatly entertained. The second half of the film (much more) without a doubt and this was a damn good film by Singer. And random I guess, but I loved the final shot of the film with Stauffenberg looking at his family leave in the car. Just a touching final note that I really loved.

[nightwing06]

Valkyrie
The second half was stronger than the first half with the exception of an attack scene in the dessert,and thats saying a lot since
i already knew how the story ends.Director Bryan Singer definitely raised the levels of suspense Its odd that Cruise had an accent when he was writing a letter early on in the film,then he totally drops it for the rest of the film.Is it just me or did Bill Nighy look uncomfortable in his uniform?
Kenneth Branagh,Bill Nighy,Tom Wilkinson ,Terence Stamp and Eddie Izzard
did a fine job with their roles.
Scale of 1-10 a 7

[Double Down]

Valkyrie: The McGill connection
Renowned expert on anti-Hitler conspiracy advised screenwriters

By Mark Shainblum

It would be hard to imagine anyone less Hollywood than McGill history professor Peter C. Hoffmann. At 78, with his neat bowtie and his impeccably polite, old-world manners, the renowned William Kingsford Professor of History is every inch the classic German gentleman-academic. Which is why it’s so difficult to visualize him poring over the screenplay of a blockbuster action movie directed by Bryan Singer of X-Men and Superman Returns fame.

The movie in question, however, is Valkyrie, a World War II action-thriller that opened Christmas Day. Based on a true story, Valkyrie follows a group of idealistic anti-Nazi German army officers who plotted to assassinate Adolf Hitler in 1944. The attempt was led by Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, a Roman Catholic aristocrat enraged by the crimes of the Nazi regime that blackened Germany’s honour. Stauffenberg was played by Tom Cruise, who also backed the film in his role as one of the principals of United Artists.

Tom Cruise stars as Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, the leader of a 1944 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler in the film Valkyrie. Photo courtesy of United Artists.
“As far as Tom Cruise is concerned, I did not know him except as the brother in the Rain Man,” Hoffmann acknowledged. “I thought he was very good in that, but I’m not one who goes to action movies, so this was new to me. On the whole, in the fundamentals, I think they have done very well. They have produced a film that is true and accurate.”

Hoffmann is widely considered to be one of the world’s leading authorities on the Stauffenberg plot, so it’s not surprising the writers of Valkyrie relied heavily on his massive 1969 history of the assassination attempt and his later, equally massive biography of Stauffenberg for background material.

“I understand that the scriptwriters glanced at my books from time to time,” Hoffmann said with typical understatement. “And on the strength of that they contacted me and wanted to know if they could talk with me. This went on for a few weeks and then they sent me the script, and asked me to read it.”

“Peter wasn’t an official adviser for the film,” said Nathan Alexander, who co-wrote Valkyrie with Christopher McQuarrie, “but we developed a relationship with him over the course of making the movie. He saw a draft of the script and gave us notes and comments. He was incredibly helpful to us.”

Hoffmann’s lack of official adviser status was by choice, he said. “United Artists offered me a contract, but I said I will not take any money. I want to be free, not a hired brain, and I will tell you what I think. On that basis I was able to press them to include things that I thought needed to be included and to correct things I thought needed to be corrected.”

In particular, Hoffman was adamant that the motives of the conspirators be portrayed in a historically accurate and complete way. Over the years, all sorts of dark motivations have been ascribed to Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators, not the least of which was that they wanted to replace the Nazi regime with an only slightly less odious military dictatorship, or that they were opportunists who only turned against Hitler when it became clear Germany was losing the war.

Such musings were uncharitable and without historical foundation, Hoffmann’s meticulous research showed, and the plotters suffered horribly when the bomb Stauffenberg planted failed to kill Hitler and the abortive coup d’etat fell apart. Stauffenberg and his immediate co-conspirators were summarily court-martialed and shot on the spot, while members of his extended family all over Germany were arrested and imprisoned under Nazi “kith and kin” guilt-by-association laws. Many of them were to die in their cells. Stauffenberg’s brother Berthold and several other members of the conspiracy who survived the coup attempt were tried by Nazi kangaroo courts and sentenced to horrible deaths by slow strangulation with piano wire.

“They were conscious of the very marginal chance of success and that they would probably perish,” Hoffmann said. “And even if they didn’t perish, they had no political future. Regicides can’t be kings. They accepted self-sacrifice as a probable outcome to document their opposition to the crimes the Nazi regime had committed, and to rescue a remnant of the honour of Germany.”

Hoffmann’s research documents that Stauffenberg expressed anti-Nazi and anti-Hitler sentiments as early as 1938, over a year before the war began. By 1941, while Germany was still arguably winning the war, Stauffenberg became aware of the enormity of Nazi crimes against civil populations, prisoners of war and the Jews, and became convinced Hitler had to be removed from power by any means necessary.

“Peter felt it was very important for the film that we get that right,” Alexander said. “His thoughts on the motives of the conspirators against Hitler helped shape the movie we have. We love Peter. He was a huge help and very supportive along the way.”

Hoffmann became interested in the Stauffenberg conspiracy in part because his own father played a role in it, he explains.

“He didn’t make much of it, partly because it had failed, and partly because his was not a leading role, not in the public limelight at all, like Stauffenberg or some of the others,” Hoffmann said. “So he never bragged about it, and there was nothing to brag about. He was just glad that he hadn’t been hanged.”

More generally, Hoffmann explains, his career as a historian has been motivated by fundamental questions about the 12 years of the Third Reich.

“How could it happen? Why did it happen? What course did it run?” he asked. “In fact, I asked my parents, my elders in general, who were there and were voters at the time, how could they let that happen? Of course, they didn’t let it happen, they voted for the Free Democrats, but that’s what got me interested in that period.”

http://reporter.mcgill.ca/2009/01/tom-cruise%e2%80%99s-valkyrie-the-mcgill-connection/#more-1898


I put it as a spoiler to take up less space on the page. It's an interesting read, though.

[Pickle-El]

Very interesting article....

[dude love]

Roger Ebert comes to Valkyrie's defence:

Now consider the case of Tom Cruise. Did you read the buildup before the release of "Valkyrie?" The picture was widely predicted to be the nail in the coffin of his career. On Nov. 18, 2008, before the film was first publicly screened, Courtney Hazlett of MSNBC.com breathlessly reported:

...those who've gotten an early glimpse say not only is the film nowhere near as exciting as a thriller, but Cruise's performance elicits uncomfortable and inappropriate laughs. Among them: A scene where Cruise's character, Claus Von Stauffenberg, is forced to give the infamous "Heil Hitler" salute. "It's an unsettling scene but you almost start to laugh," the source says. "His character is resisting it but you never forget it's Tom Cruise saying 'Heil Hitler.' It's funny and shocking at the same time." Sources also described a scene where Cruise's character Claus Von Stauffenberg removes a false eye. "It was disgusting," said one person who saw the film. "It was like watching someone pluck their contacts out."
Hazlett did not see the film, and apparently did not see her first sentence ("the film elicits uncomfortable and inappropriate laughs") before writing her second one ("you almost start to laugh"). The story lists three sources: (1) "Those who've gotten an early glimpse;" (2) "Sources;" (3) "One person who saw the film." Help me out here. Are we referring to three different people, or the same person three times? How many of us find it disgusting to see someone remove a contact lens? Did the Source(s) notice that Cruise had his back turned when he removed the eye? Does MSNBC employ anyone meeting the description of a copy editor? This story would disgust and be laughed at by a competent one.


Apparently Cruise's mistake was to play a Nazi in the first place. To be sure, he was playing a Nazi who led a plot to kill Hitler, but the gossips don't sweat the small stuff. When you get on a hit list, every decision you make is the wrong one. On Jan. 8, 2008, a year ago, Roger Friedman reported on Fox News: "The burgeoning price tag on 'Valkyrie' could turn out to be a big headache. Most Cruise movies have not made much more than $100 at the box office, with the exception of the "Mission: Impossible" series. And that series was trending downward." Let me be sure I get this straight: "Most Cruise movies have not made much more than $100?" I would assume that's a typo, but it has remained uncorrected on the Fox News web site for 12 months.

Entertainment Weekly, a splendid print publication, relaxes its standards on its website. On ew.com's "popWatch" in early November, the usually sensibleMichael Slezak committed the cardinal sin of reviewing a trailer. Everyone knows the trailer usually has little to do with the movie. I learned that from Mad magazine when I was nine years old. Slezak reports:


Tom Cruise's latest flick, Valkyrie, is set in Nazi Germany, and it's not a comedy, so why does its new trailer (embedded below, or streaming in a higher-quality clip at Yahoo) leave me snickering? Is it the eye patch? Or the way the lightning crashes as Cruise declares "We have to kill Hitler" in his Serious Thespian Voice? Maybe it's that awful line, "When the S.S. catch you, they will pull you apart like warm bread." (Mission: Carbs!) Or maybe I can no longer separate the tabloid staple from the actor.

You know, maybe that's it. EW.com lists Slezak's item in the following "categories:" Film, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Movie Trailers. Katie Holmes does not appear in either the film or the story, but if you are interested in her of course you would want to know that the "Valkyrie" trailer left Michael Slezak snickering.


Charlie Chaplin in "The Great Dictator:" I just want to set the world on fire


But wait. Tom Cruise's trouble are not over. Here's another headline: Cruise May Face Legal Action Over Hitler Globe. Ohmigod! As my Aunt Mary wisely instructed me: "Honey, when it rains, it pours!" She taught me to read those words off a box of Morton's salt. The story appeared on the New York Post's Page Six. It says "the couch-jumping star used a replica of one of Adolf Hitler's prized possessions in the movie without permission." The possession was Adolf's world globe. If Page Six had ventured a few more pages deeper into the paper and consulted the Post's movie critics, Page Six no doubt would have been informed that the globe became world-famous after Charlie Chaplin did a ballet with it in "The Great Dictator" (1940). They could also have reported that the collector's attorney does not foresee a big lawsuit but simply an acknowledgement. And even a 9-year-old would know that Cruise will face absolutely no legal action, because an actor can hardly be sued because of the props he uses.

But now the gears have suddenly shifted. You've probably already absorbed this from the ether, but I'll say it anyway: After "Valkyrie" actually opened, no one laughed at the eye patch. No audiences were disgusted by the glass eye. It grossed $52 million domestically in its first nine days. Cruise will live to fail another day. Movie critics didn't do back-flips over either picture. On Metacritic, "Australia" scored 53, and "Valkyrie" 56.



Whole article here (http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/01/gossips_as_birds_of_prey.html).

[Superark]

Roger Ebert comes to Valkyrie's defence:

Now consider the case of Tom Cruise. Did you read the buildup before the release of "Valkyrie?" The picture was widely predicted to be the nail in the coffin of his career. On Nov. 18, 2008, before the film was first publicly screened, Courtney Hazlett of MSNBC.com breathlessly reported:

...those who've gotten an early glimpse say not only is the film nowhere near as exciting as a thriller, but Cruise's performance elicits uncomfortable and inappropriate laughs. Among them: A scene where Cruise's character, Claus Von Stauffenberg, is forced to give the infamous "Heil Hitler" salute. "It's an unsettling scene but you almost start to laugh," the source says. "His character is resisting it but you never forget it's Tom Cruise saying 'Heil Hitler.' It's funny and shocking at the same time." Sources also described a scene where Cruise's character Claus Von Stauffenberg removes a false eye. "It was disgusting," said one person who saw the film. "It was like watching someone pluck their contacts out."
Hazlett did not see the film, and apparently did not see her first sentence ("the film elicits uncomfortable and inappropriate laughs") before writing her second one ("you almost start to laugh"). The story lists three sources: (1) "Those who've gotten an early glimpse;" (2) "Sources;" (3) "One person who saw the film." Help me out here. Are we referring to three different people, or the same person three times? How many of us find it disgusting to see someone remove a contact lens? Did the Source(s) notice that Cruise had his back turned when he removed the eye? Does MSNBC employ anyone meeting the description of a copy editor? This story would disgust and be laughed at by a competent one.


Apparently Cruise's mistake was to play a Nazi in the first place. To be sure, he was playing a Nazi who led a plot to kill Hitler, but the gossips don't sweat the small stuff. When you get on a hit list, every decision you make is the wrong one. On Jan. 8, 2008, a year ago, Roger Friedman reported on Fox News: "The burgeoning price tag on 'Valkyrie' could turn out to be a big headache. Most Cruise movies have not made much more than $100 at the box office, with the exception of the "Mission: Impossible" series. And that series was trending downward." Let me be sure I get this straight: "Most Cruise movies have not made much more than $100?" I would assume that's a typo, but it has remained uncorrected on the Fox News web site for 12 months.

Entertainment Weekly, a splendid print publication, relaxes its standards on its website. On ew.com's "popWatch" in early November, the usually sensibleMichael Slezak committed the cardinal sin of reviewing a trailer. Everyone knows the trailer usually has little to do with the movie. I learned that from Mad magazine when I was nine years old. Slezak reports:


Tom Cruise's latest flick, Valkyrie, is set in Nazi Germany, and it's not a comedy, so why does its new trailer (embedded below, or streaming in a higher-quality clip at Yahoo) leave me snickering? Is it the eye patch? Or the way the lightning crashes as Cruise declares "We have to kill Hitler" in his Serious Thespian Voice? Maybe it's that awful line, "When the S.S. catch you, they will pull you apart like warm bread." (Mission: Carbs!) Or maybe I can no longer separate the tabloid staple from the actor.

You know, maybe that's it. EW.com lists Slezak's item in the following "categories:" Film, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Movie Trailers. Katie Holmes does not appear in either the film or the story, but if you are interested in her of course you would want to know that the "Valkyrie" trailer left Michael Slezak snickering.


Charlie Chaplin in "The Great Dictator:" I just want to set the world on fire


But wait. Tom Cruise's trouble are not over. Here's another headline: Cruise May Face Legal Action Over Hitler Globe. Ohmigod! As my Aunt Mary wisely instructed me: "Honey, when it rains, it pours!" She taught me to read those words off a box of Morton's salt. The story appeared on the New York Post's Page Six. It says "the couch-jumping star used a replica of one of Adolf Hitler's prized possessions in the movie without permission." The possession was Adolf's world globe. If Page Six had ventured a few more pages deeper into the paper and consulted the Post's movie critics, Page Six no doubt would have been informed that the globe became world-famous after Charlie Chaplin did a ballet with it in "The Great Dictator" (1940). They could also have reported that the collector's attorney does not foresee a big lawsuit but simply an acknowledgement. And even a 9-year-old would know that Cruise will face absolutely no legal action, because an actor can hardly be sued because of the props he uses.

But now the gears have suddenly shifted. You've probably already absorbed this from the ether, but I'll say it anyway: After "Valkyrie" actually opened, no one laughed at the eye patch. No audiences were disgusted by the glass eye. It grossed $52 million domestically in its first nine days. Cruise will live to fail another day. Movie critics didn't do back-flips over either picture. On Metacritic, "Australia" scored 53, and "Valkyrie" 56.



Whole article here (http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/01/gossips_as_birds_of_prey.html).

I have to give Ebert major props for that!

That basically confirms what a lot us were talking about on here. People hating on Cruise and the film simply because its the things to do.

I'm surprised Ebert even mentioned Valkryie's RT score, since its obvious that some of the reviews are totally biased and hold no intergrity to them.

I'm so glad this movie is doing well. Maybe that will shut up some of the Cruise bashers.

Good job Ebert!

[Hush]

Ebert is THE MAN!

[Lobo]

I'm not a big Cruise fan by any means, always thought he was decent to good. His role in this however, is one of the strongest I've ever seen from him. I thought he was really fantastic as Stauffenberg.

I also very much enjoyed the movie 8/10

Stamp gives you what we've come to expect from him, and Branagh and Nighy were fantastic in their roles.

[Doctor Jones]

Ebert is really the only critic I read. Because he actually gets it and knows what he's talking about. But he's unpredictable.

[The Senator]

I saw this recently, and I had two major problems with it: First, why did every single German in the film, aside from Hitler himself, have a British accent? I understand that in American adaptations of foreign history, the actors are going to speak in English. But the fact that none of the main cast members bore a German accent annoyed me a bit, especially since this film was directed by Bryan Singer, who tends to pay attention to these sort of details.

Second, regardless of what Roger Ebert may say, Tom Cruise was probably one of the worst choices to play Colonel Von Stauffenberg. He was wooden, cold, and delivered most of his lines poorly. He is the film's biggest flaw, and it is unfortunate because Valkyrie is such an interesting, tense thriller. If Cruise actually made an effort to ACT (considering that's his job), or if he was replaced by someone better, this film could have been Bryan Singer's best film since The Usual Suspects.

That being said, the film stays afloat due to its excellent directing and screenplay. The film is tense, and the suspense was real. And even though everyone knew how Operation Valkyrie turned out in the end, the scenes where Von Stauffenberg and his followers were taken under arrest and executed were still thrilling.

Overall, I would rank this somewhere between a 7 and 7.5 out of 10. This is just one of those films where the story and direction couldn't cover up poor acting.

[BatJeff7786]

Why would they need a german accent if they were all speaking English? They bridged that gap in the first thirty seconds of the film. Cruise starts talking in German, then it slowly translates into English. No accents required. We know they're German. We know they're actually "speaking German", it simply eliminates the need for subtitles. I'd rather have that then a bunch of actors use fake German accents and speak English.

[Lobo]

I agree Jeff. I loved the way they transitioned from speaking German to English.

[scifiwolf]

Saw this last night, and I gotta agree about the accents. The technique of having a foreign language transition into English is not new, but as Valkyrie proves, it's very effective. The accents are a little strange at first, but the movie sucks you in and then you forget all about them. I also marveled at how much I was on the edge of my seat and grinding my teeth from the suspense. Everybody knew the plot failed, and the conspirators were executed, but Bryan and his writers did a fantastic job of making a thriller out of it. I also loved the portrayal of Hitler. That has to have been one of the creepiest performances I've ever seen in my life. In Stauffenberg's first meeting with him, the nervousness was so palpable. I felt as if I were the one facing Hitler.

I gave this movie 8/10, but mostly because I'm very picky about what gets a 9 or 10. I would definitely recommend the movie, especially to those who love WWII history as I do.

[Matt Mortem]

Loved the film. It was exciting, it was tense. You knew the ending because it was a historical film, but that didn't take away from the suspense in the least. The accents didn't bother me, the transition in the beginning really helped to eliminate the confusion with the accents. Should they have had German accents, the film probably would not have been as good IMO. I will definetly purchase this film. It was fantastic. Every player in the film did a top notch job.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Cant wait to see this, comes out here near the end of the month, will be my first cinema visit this year I think.

[Cinemaman]

10 more days and I'll finally see it!

[echostation]

this has totally dropped off from the box office top twenty.. makes no sense??

[Antonello Blueberry]

this has totally dropped off from the box office top twenty.. makes no sense??
It's at the 14th place with a total of more than 77 million. Not that bad.

[dude love]

this has totally dropped off from the box office top twenty.. makes no sense??

Please do your homework. (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/)

:yay:

[dude love]

Valkyrie gets five minute standing ovation from German audiences. (http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/celebrity-gossip/2009/01/21/tom-cruise-charms-fans/at-european-film-premiere-of-valkyrie-in-berlin.html)


By I. Rosendahl, M. Schacht and J. Bonesky
Hollywood star Tom Cruise braved freezing Berlin temperatures yesterday to spend time on the red carpet with fans at the European premiere of 'Valkyrie'. was a model Hollywood star as he spent a total of 102 minutes chatting to fans and signing autographs!

Those who had waited in the cold to see him were no doubt thankful for the hot drinks and handwarmers that Cruise had distributed amongst the crowd.

“What a welcome” he said. “And it happens every time I come to Germany!”

His wife Katie Holmes looked beautiful in a black Escada dress but was not dressed for the cold, so hurried inside the Potsdamer Platz cinema.

The German actors in Valkryrie were also in attendance: Carice van Houten (32), Christian Berkel (51) and Thomas Kretschmann (46). Kretschmann spoke about his most exciting day on set: “I had to be on time on the first day of filming, so Tom sent a helicopter to fly me from Tempelhof to the location – even though I am scared of flying. It was simply incredible.”

The premiere started at 8pm, but Tom promised his fans to come out and sign more autographs afterwards. “I am a bit freezing,” he admitted.

There was a five-minute standing ovation when the film ended.

Tom and Katie then greeted people outside before they had to return to the hotel to fly to London the next day.


Just like that the last potential peice of propaganda that this film's detractors could use is gone. Even ze German's loved it.

[I Am The Knight]

Heil Singah!

[Doctor Jones]

See people love Tom Cruise.

He kicks ass. C'mon, you can't hate him, "RESPECT THE C**K!" :woot:

[dude love]

Valkyrie opens at number 1 overseas (http://www.screeninglog.com/journal/2009/1/26/valkyrie-defeats-competition-at-overseas-bo.html)

'Valkyrie' defeats competition at overseas b.o.
Sunday, January 25, 2009 at 09:52PM | By Franck Tabouring
Bryan Singer's WWII drama "Valkyrie" topped the international box office this weekend with an estimated $13.2 million in ticket sales.

Finishing second with $12.6 million in 27 markets was Will Smith's drama "Seven Pounds," which lifted its overseas gross to $60.1 million. In the film, Smith plays an IRS agent who decides to change the lives of seven individuals.

Meanwhile, Jim Carrey's comedy "Yes Man" followed in third place with $9.9 million, lifting its total gross to $82.6 million. Placing fourth was the Russian comedy "The Best Movie Ever 2," which picked up $9.5 million in just one territory.

At No. 5, Catherine Hardwicke's vampire romance "Twilight" took home another $9 million for an international total of $151 million.

Other results from the overseas box office: Baz Luhrmann's "Australia" earned $6.9 million for a cume of $131 million; "Quantum of Solace" pulled $6.5 million for a total of $391.2 million; and "Bedtime Stories" reached $75 million thanks to a weekend gross of $4.3 million.


It's safe to say Valkyrie = epic victory.

If you don't agree take it up with this guy:

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll174/dudelove/article-0-0253B5E500000578-28_468x3.jpg

[Mostpowerful]

Heil Singah!

AGREED. :applaud





*sigh* I WANT MY SUPERMAN RETURNS SEQUEL DIRECTED BY SINGER!! :csad:

[Hunter Rider]

I saw it today and I thought it was pretty good, the accents weren't a problem b/c the lavish production values left you in no doubt as to where you were.

The first half hour felt rushed to me, I'd have liked to have seen the conspirators courting Von Stauffenberg in more depth than they did, as it was his story moved along at a break neck pace.

Another thing was that they were all just a little too noble IMO I am sure some of the motivations involved were not quite so honourable as the film portrayed and Ive heard historians say as much.

However historical inaccuracies aside, once the film kicks into gear Singer crafted an intriguing thriller with rich foreboding cinematography and a sense of danger, his shot selection in this movie is immaculate. On the acting side I'd say all gave good performances in an ensemble that was greater than the sum of it's parts.


7.8/10

[Darth Elektra]

Valkyrie.
Release Date: May 19.

The Bryan Singer directed film will be available to own from the 19th May. No extra material will be included on the 1-disc release. The 2-disc DVD will include commentary by director Bryan Singer, actor Tom Cruise, and writer Christopher McQuarrie, a second commentary with writer Christopher McQuarrie and writer Nathan Alexander, 2 featurettes ("The Journey to Valkyrie", "The Valkyrie Legacy"), and a digital copy of the film. The Blu-ray will include all of that, plus 5 additional features ("The Road to Resistance: A Visual Guide", "The African Front Sequence", "Taking to the Air", "Recreating Berlin", "92nd Street Y: Reel Pieces with Tom Cruise and Bryan Singer").


1 Disc:
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9978/valkyrier1artworkpic1d.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=valkyrier1artworkpic1d.jpg)


2 Disc:
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/9079/valkyrier1artworkpic2t.jpg (http://img13.imageshack.us/my.php?image=valkyrier1artworkpic2t.jpg)

[nite-owl]

I'll definitely get the two disc version just for the Singer/Cruise commentary.

[Matt Mortem]

Awesome. Definetly pickin up the 2 disc

[scifiwolf]

If I can't swing a copy of the 2-disc DVD, I might just pick up the Blu-Ray. Since I'll be able to afford buying movies again, I might as well start working on my Blu-Ray collection.

[Darth Elektra]

I'm excited for the commentary with Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise! Can't wait too pick this dvd up.

[dude love]

The 2 discer WILL be mine, likely both in DVD and Blu Ray because I don't always have access to a Blu Ray player, but anytime I want to watch a DVD I can. Singer/Cruise/McQuarrie commentary should be awesome. Cruise never does commentary, so he must be pretty happy with the film. Singer is a good commentary on The Usual Suspects DVD, but I haven't seen his X-Men one and he didn't do one for Superman (Neither did Nolan or McTeigue for their DC comics movies either. Very odd).

[thejon93]

I'm excited for the commentary with Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise! Can't wait too pick this dvd up.
You should check out the 'Mission: Impossible III' commentary Cruise has with J.J. Abrams if you're excited for this one(may only be available on the 2-Disc, I'm not sure).

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Saw this last night, as a fan of WWII movies, Tom Cruise movies, and especially Bryan Singer movies, surprised it took me this long to see it. But thought it was a great film. The only problem I had was Hitler speaking in a German accent when the others werent (thought Hitler was Austrian if I remember correctly, this may have been why), but otherwise a great movie that creates tension for the viewer despite the conclusion of the story being known already.

8.5/10 for me, definately a DVD purchase.

[Matt Mortem]

Saw this last night, as a fan of WWII movies, Tom Cruise movies, and especially Bryan Singer movies, surprised it took me this long to see it. But thought it was a great film. The only problem I had was Hitler speaking in a German accent when the others werent (thought Hitler was Austrian if I remember correctly, this may have been why), but otherwise a great movie that creates tension for the viewer despite the conclusion of the story being known already.

8.5/10 for me, definately a DVD purchase.
That was the selling point with the movie for me. I'm a history major so I knew full well the Stauffenberg plot, but this movie does so well with creating tension and suspense that you almost have hope that they'll succeed.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

That was the selling point with the movie for me. I'm a history major so I knew full well the Stauffenberg plot, but this movie does so well with creating tension and suspense that you almost have hope that they'll succeed.

Indeed, it did do this very well, when Stauffenberg is conviced Hitler is dead, I almost was myself. Great directing, and they managed to keep that sense of tension up for the whole movie.

[Christmas]

Gotta see this soon. I wonder if it's in theaters still here in NYC. Maybe On Demand. I will investigate.

[Two-Face]

I didn't know it was based on true story before I saw the movie, I enjoy it more cos it happened in real life.

[Doctor Jones]

Indeed, it did do this very well, when Stauffenberg is conviced Hitler is dead, I almost was myself. Great directing, and they managed to keep that sense of tension up for the whole movie.

Same here. Singer really make us hope that Hitler actually did die. Even though we know it's not true, we're so caught up in the film, and we just believe and hope he is.

And then when everything comes crashing is when it's still strong.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^And thats what you call excellent directing.

[Carmine Falcone]

Haven't seen this yet, I'm interested in it though. Is it worth a rent?

[nite-owl]

Yes.

[Carmine Falcone]

Nice. But it doesn't look like it will get a DVD release soon, here in Holland. Which is strange, since it has a few Dutch castmembers... But maybe I'm just being naive. :p

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

I'd say its worth a purchase rather than a rent to be honest, depends if you like this type of film.

[Doctor Jones]

If you like Singer, Cruise and WWII stuff, than YES. it's worth it. Singer once again builds great suspense.

[CELTICPRED]

And Thomas Kretschmann.

[Episode29]

I'd recommend a rental first. Its pretty dry and far from the best work Singer has done. Its basically a well-shot, decently acted History Channel presentation.

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^Its not the best work he has done, but its a very good movie.

[Retroman]

Yeah Cruise, the supporting deliverd good performances and the lack of German accents doesn't distract you from the story at all. It got surprisingly tense even though you know how it's going to end.:up:
Nice. But it doesn't look like it will get a DVD release soon, here in Holland. Which is strange, since it has a few Dutch castmembers... But maybe I'm just being naive. :p

The dvd drops on July 29 (http://www.foxfilm.nl/dvd/coming-soon/) and usually they become available to rent one or two weeks beforehand. Considering the movie was still playing in theaters a few weeks ago

Speaking of those dutch cast members....even though they warned in interviews not to expect much, their roles were (for me) disappointingly small but still important to the plot.:o


There's an interesting new audio interview with Singer's director of photograhy Newton Thomas Siegel available at The ASC Magazine.
http://www.theasc.com/magazine_dynamic/podcasts.php

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

^The lack of German accents definately wasnt enough to distract from the overall experience.

[Threshold]

The second half of this movie is incredible, the first half could've been a touch better. Once they get into the 'man on a mission' mode, this movie kills.

[Retroman]

The dvd was released last week in the states. Has anyone here bought it yet?

Cruise fit the role
Actor was the right choice, director says, to make Valkyrie a success

By JIM SLOTEK

Last Updated: 25th May 2009, 2:01am

The joke tagline was "Kill Hitler for Christmas!"

But $200 million later, Bryan Singer is pretty happy with the decision to unwrap Tom Cruise in Valkyrie last Dec. 25.

"It was the right move, and it made sense on different levels," says Singer, who, with his writing partner Chris McQuarrie, had been shepherding the story for years of Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, the key player in the plot to kill Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944.

"It was right for Christmas because there was nothing else like it in the theatres," he says of Valkyrie, which was released on DVD last week. "There's a lot of money in the Christmas market and this was the only thriller. And it was a thriller that fathers and sons could go see, because it had a bit of history.

"Certainly, when Chris and I embarked on this movie we did not expect $200 million."

Of course, that was before he had a deal with the most famous studio owner on the planet -- movie icon and United Artists co-owner Tom Cruise.

On one level, it seemed natural.

"Stauffenberg was a family man, very focused and respected and charismatic and hard working. I think all those things Tom Cruise has in his character."

On the other hand, despite years of high-profile projects (the first two X-Men movies, Superman Returns) he says he'd never worked with a bona fide movie star before.

"I've worked with actors who've become movie stars. But when I've hired them, you know, (The Usual Suspects') Kevin Spacey was a guy from the show Wiseguy, Hugh Jackman (X-Men) was doing musical theatre, Halle Berry (X-Men) was the girl from Bulworth.

"It's something to see when you go out to dinner in Las Vegas with (Cruise), or even on the set (in the California desert, standing in for North Africa) when you've got airplanes, a couple at a time, with paparazzi coming dangerously low at us.

"We had fun that day, we actually turned our (blank-firing) WWII anti-aircraft guns at them. But on a professional level, once we're on set -- with the exception of the occasional paparazzi invasion -- it's pretty much like a regular movie."

And there were times when a superstar lead got in the way of verisimilitude. For example, the real Stauffenberg refused morphine when he was operated on for injuries sustained in Tunisia. Singer quickly realized that having Tom Cruise do that would just look like movie-star showboating.

"I actually shot it, and then thought -- 'People are going to think this is not real.' "

A war geek, Singer is always ready with an addendum to this Third Reich minutiae. We mention that the insane, screaming judge Roland Freisler in the conspiracy trials -- caught on film in the terrific doc that's in the DVD Extras -- is more over-the-top than any Nazi villain Hollywood could dream up.

"And he met a very interesting fate," Singer says. "As one of the conspirators was being led into his trial, an Allied bomb fell on the courtroom and killed Freisler."

Singer comes by his geekiness naturally. In their teens in New Jersey, he and childhood friend McQuarrie would film Second World War movies in 8mm.

"I wish I'd put them on the DVD. I'd go to the Army/Navy store and buy German army helmets, uniforms, bayonets, and I would use very dangerous fireworks. One of the movies was called Futile Attempt, which ended badly for the Americans. The decisive blow was a German potato grenade that 'killed' all my neighbourhood friends."

Then, as now, he says there was fun to be had on the set of a serious subject.

"Just to break the tension, humour breaks out. There's a lot of strange catharsis that comes when you're a Jew making a film about this subject in Berlin," Singer says. "Every once in a while, I'd go onset and (the cast and crew) would give me this 'Seig heil!' "Source:http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/jim_slotek/2009/05/25/9557686-sun.html

[Project862006]

have yet to see it cant wait to see it brian singer is such a great director maybe one of the most underrated directors out there

[Asr]

Saw the movie, thought it was pretty good. Most of the actors were good too and I was surprised by ole Tom Cruise, he brought a great intensity to his role. Wow and the way the suspense/tension kept building was done really well too, gotta give props to Singer and the editor(s) on that.

Oh and the no-German accent thing kinda felt like a gigantic overdub, especially since Cruise opens the movie talking in German (with subtitles) and there's a sudden transition to English. I can't remember the last time I saw an overdubbed movie but I thought Valkyrie kinda came across as one. A "faux-overdubbed" movie, if you will. :p

[dude love]

The dvd was released last week in the states. Has anyone here bought it yet?

Source:http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/jim_slotek/2009/05/25/9557686-sun.html

I'll be getting it on both DVD and Blu Ray tomorrow.

We mention that the insane, screaming judge Roland Freisler in the conspiracy trials -- caught on film in the terrific doc that's in the DVD Extras -- is more over-the-top than any Nazi villain Hollywood could dream up.

"And he met a very interesting fate," Singer says. "As one of the conspirators was being led into his trial, an Allied bomb fell on the courtroom and killed Freisler."


I can't help but laugh. :pal:

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Cant wait for this to hit DVD here, thought Defiance and this were both great WWII movies, already have Defiance and will be getting this when its released here.

[Paradyme]

I was pretty skeptical of this movie ever since the trailer ripped off the SAW music but I must say that it was way better then I expected. Its not action packed by any means but is more of a thriller or suspense type movie. You so badly want them to succeed or even at the end are hoping for a Hollywood to actually pull a Hollywood moment and actual kill Hitler.

The lack of German accents was kinda odd but was tolerable.

My favorite scene is when Stauffenberg yells "Long live Germany!"

[Adrian89]

I liked this movie alot! 8/10. Very good direction and very good acting.

[dude love]

The dvd was released last week in the states. Has anyone here bought it yet?


Dude, buy it, the commentary with Singer, Cruise and McQuarrie is superb!

[Retroman]

^^That's good to hear, thanks. I was already planning on buying the dvd anyway when it hits later next month.:yay: