JFK

Rating:
Summary: Oliver Stone at his best!
Review: When I saw this film in the theater originally, I thought it was only mediocre. Re-watching it with Oliver Stone's added footage, made it riveting! Oliver Stone said that he thought this film and his film, "Nixon", are his Godfather Part One and Two. I am in complete agreement with him. This is a spellbinding thriller even if you didn't live through this era.

Rating:
Summary: Definitive Movie about JFK
Review: Stone brings it all together. See this movie and the reasons for the murder of JFK will become clear.

Some idiots still believe the cover story. See the review by David Brown below.

Rating:
Summary: I shouted out, who killed the Kennedys, when after all......
Review: I can however, write a review for this movie, This is the best Oliver Stone film I have seen so far, I have seen a lot of his films and some of them are good, some are great and some are terrible, this is none of those, this is his best film, the acting by Kevin Costner is terrific, forget Costner, everyone is terrific, it is well structured, consistent, entertaining, informative and depressing. The DVD is terrific, loaded w/plenty of extras which DVD buffs like me can keep ourselvs occupied with, picture and sound, no complaints there, Stone make a nice package of this movie. The movie is about Costner's charecter investigating the JFK murder three years after he was killed, it goes deeper into the life of Osawald and his role as the murderer or not the murderer, it goes into suspicions about the CIA's, the FBI's and the whole goverment's potential role in the murder of the greatest president on the face of this nation, John F. Kennedy.

Rating:
Summary: A good movie but parts are not true.
Review: There are a lot of parts in this movie that are fiction. Here are 5 parts:

1. If Lee Harvey Oswald was the sole assassin, he could have gotten 3 shots off in time. Real life snipers have proven it with the gun found in the School Book Depository.

2. Jack Ruby didn't place the bullet on the Texas Governor's strecher. In the movie, he wasn't wearing gloves (check me if I'm wrong). There would be fingerprints. No fingerprints were found on the bullet.

3. If there was a "Magic Bullet" it didn't go right, left right, left, etc. The Texas governor was sitting 3 inches below Kennedy, closer to the door than Kennedy, he was a little wider than Kennedy. There are a few other differences. This evens out the bullet. The bullet has a straight path through both bodies.

4. The last speech by Jim Garrison (the long one right before the jury voted) he never said.

5. There were not 6-8 shots fired. A police officer accidentally left his recorder running on his motercycle. It recorded exactly 3 shots, not 6-8 shots.

There are a few more flaws in the movie. I would buy the movie, but if you want facts watch the history channel's view of the Kennedy assassination.

Rating:
Summary: In great search of how, but superficial of why
Review: Oliver Stone does an excellent job in showing, rather than telling us how JFK may have been murdered. He presents not only eyewitnesses, but also physical evidence in suppoort of the conspiracy theories that have come out into the open in the years since the assassination. For example, he rejects the "Magic Bullet Theory", as described by the Warren Report that one bullet went through two bodies multiple times, and does so by closely examining video-footage and demonstrating that the bullet would have had to freeze in mid-air for 1.6 seconds in order for this theory to hold true.

Correct or not--stone prompts debate and questioning regarding exactly how the assassination took place.

I was dissappointed, however, in the lack of information partaining to Kennedy's politics in the political context (i.e. the mixed feelings about the Vietnam War). The scope of the movie ranges from the time of the murder to its analysis years later. The second disc in this special edition, however, does touch on this, and the fact that many people believe that Kennedy never would have committed troops to Vietnam in the numbers that later-President Johnson did. Commentation reads, "I don't think there was any doubt that JFK was pulling out of Vietnam when he was killed... I think it's safe to say that the assassination led directly to the furthering of the war."

The bottom line-- if you're looking to find out "how" JKF was killed, this is a must-see movie; however, if you're looking to find out "why" JFK was killed, you're better off putting your money and time elsewhere, as this is addressed only superficially in the extra's disc.

Rating:
Summary: Wow!!! What a film!
Review: I'm not sure if people remember just how groundbreaking the editing on this film really was back in '91, but this is an enthralling 3.5 hour overview of the major questions that D.A. Jim Garrison raised about the Kennedy Assassination in his book "On The Trail of the Assassins." This film is a tour-de-force by Oliver Stone, and was very controversial for mixing new footage with real archived film clips in a way that many felt would only mislead the uninformed. They have a point - some details of the arguments here don't hold up to careful scrutiny (truly interested persons should check out other sources, such as Gerald Posner's "Case Closed") but the amazing thing about this film is that in just a few hours, it gives an amazingly rich "crash course" in the controversies surrounding the assassination investigation. It successfully conveys Garrison's point of view as a well-intentioned professional who descends from a normal sense of early-60s civic pride into a multi-year journey of doubt about U.S. democracy, and anxiety regarding social changes. The Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam, political unrest and assassinations of the 60s... This is a truly impressive film at relating one man's loss of civic faith, even if you disagree completely with the premises it explores. It is loaded with stars and cameo appearances. It can be enjoyed (or studied) again and again. Particularly notable on the DVD is an interview with Fletcher Prouty, the real version of the film's "Mr. X" that encouraged and guided Garrison's suspicions. Gary Oldman gives a completely knockout performance as Lee Harvey Oswald, and in my opinion this film also contains the best performance I've seen from Kevin Costner! Surely only its controversy kept this from Best Picture Oscar possibilities. What an amazing piece of filmmaking! And the entire film is contained on one disc, too!

Rating:
Summary: An excellent look into the JFK assassination
Review: Oliver Stone does an excellent job of arguing the case for a conspiracy in the assassination of JFK. The facts, and some of the unexplained mysteries, all documented, are presented to the viewer in a most compelling way. You come away from the film wondering if there really was a conspiracy.

This movie does not have the feeling of paranoia that most other movies about conspiracy have, and here I am thinking of "The Enemy of the State" for example. The calm and rational development of the argument, with more information gradually added distinguishes this work from other more frivolous films. A line in the film which I think is quite telling is that if the assassination had happened in Russia, and the facts were as they are, would the idea of a conspiracy be that hard to swallow. It may be the willingness of the public to disbelieve the possibility of a Government that works against it's people, rather than the lack of facts, which makes conspiracy so difficult to believe for many people.

Even though Stone was true to the facts as he found them (or as others furnished them), he did take artistic license in some areas. This does not make the point that the movie is trying to make any less valid. Any movie about historical events, usually has some sort of creativity in it regarding minor events such as the flawlessness of the speeches, flashbacks, additional dialogues etc...

If you aren't one who buys into Conspiracy but who enjoys a good film, Costner's performance is stunning in this one and wont disappoint. The movie, in it's own right is excellent, and I would highly recommend it for it's own sake. Whether you believe the arguments or not, get this movie to see the story from the other side.

Rating:
Summary: STUNNING, PROVACATIVE AND WROUGHT IN CONSPIRACIES OF TENSION
Review: "J.F.K." is Oliver Stone's opus magnum: a thrilling, taut investigation of the assassination of President Kennedy. Did Oswald really pull the trigger that fateful afternoon in Dallas? Perhaps we'll never know. But the film is a potpouri of investigative threads and niche conspiracy theories that, at least for my money, hold more than an ounce of truth. At the very least it shoots holes in the Warren Commission Report which - for anyone who's read it - isn't hard to do.
TRANSFER: This is the same stunning transfer that Warner Brothers gave us several years before as part of the Oliver Stone Collection. It's the director's cut. Colors are rich, fully saturated and well balanced. Black and contrast levels are solid. There is a subtle hint of edge enhancement and minor shimmering of fine details but neither will distract. The audio is 5.1 and powerful on every level.
EXTRAS: Ah, here's the reason for the re-issue: the brilliant documentary, "Behind The Conspiracy" which is thought-provoking and chilling; sort of like Einstein meets The Silence of the Lambs. There's also all the DVD-ROM junket stuff that came with the previously issued disc.
BOTTOM LINE: I had a hard time justifying buying this one again because the only extra feature not previously available was the documentary. But I believe this is a worth-while re-purchase for anyone who owns the previously issued DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Crucial Primer for the Future Conspiracy Theorist
Review: I love films that teach me to think, and "JFK" is one of them. Reality must always take precedence over "Official Reports" or Celebrity Endorsed Statements, and that's what I learned from JFK. I think it is an ASTOUNDING achievement of cinematography, script, editing, and direction. The people of superior intelligence and talent who brought all the crucial elements of this true story and film making together at the level witnessed in "JFK" have my highest admiration and regards. This film is an absolute Must-See for an intelligent, enquiring mind.

Now, for some of my own personal "paranoia". There are good persons and there are bad people. The good persons mind their own business, the bad people try to sell the undecided people the idea that the reason they are doing something bad in a bad way with bad results is for good reasons and a sublime outcome. Bad people like crucifixions. They'll stage them. And they'll stage crucifixions to create a panic, a riot, a fear, an emotional response from a controllable MOB, a mass of people to aim and fire at whatever target they need to benefit their rise to power.

The Warren Commission told the American People it was a madman who committed the Kennedy atrocity, and there was no hyper-hysteria aimed at the people of America that could be Communists, the Mafia, or alleged bigots. The American People had been defused. That was the only purpose of the Warren Report. Now, the defusers are not necessarily the culprits. The culprits are the ones who wanted chaos in America and race riots and protests (and even suspicion). The Communists came to power in Russia out of the chaos, political turmoil, and starvation of World War 1. I also believe they intended to come to power here out of the chaos of assassinations, Vietnam, race-relations and unionism. The liberalism we experience today is the American Way of avoiding all that.

If we can have crooked Intelligence Officers even as we speak, in all powerful nations of the globe claiming there are WMDs in Iraq when there weren't any, making Iraq and Saddam out as more powerful than they actually were, hoping to give them more bargaining power when dealing with the U.S., don't you think this same evil element could have existed during the height of the Cold War, that we can have crooked intelligence officers in the 60's with ties to the MOB, the Mafia, the clergy, putting together not one but several assassinations of politically popular figures to go along with an unpopular war, left-educated, doped up college goons and their Marxist ideologies and their Manson-like families of stoned-out flower children.

That the good persons of this nation over came this attack is amazing and speaks of a silent and great group of men who have served us and are not getting the congratulations and adulations they deserve for vanquishing the bad people...repeatedly. We can't even begin to understand all this until we understand that there are two sides to the equation and only two sides: Reason vs Faith/Capitalism vs Socialism and Individualism vs Collectivism. Reason, Capitalism and Individualism are good (Please read Ayn Rand).

If we were all programmed by our religions and social beliefs to react with a politically correct emotional response anytime the right keys were played at the right time, what would happen if the right keys were tinkled the wrong way at the wrong time, is it possible that the bad people who knew our programming could take control away from our elected leaders out of the chaos created by our unrestrained emotions (like Nixon)? Due to the emotional health and obvious intelligence of the current good persons of America, the answer is "NOT".

The good persons of America are showing themselves resistant to programming. But we all know the Bad People will never surrender easily. Never surrender is their slogan. They will continue to stir up racial, religious, and sexual tensions to destroy us if we let them. And their name is Legion for they are many...people, not persons.

Will we let them? It's up to you.

Rating:
Summary: Best fictional movie based on non-fiction
Review: When I first saw this movie in the early 90's, I would have said that this is one of the best films I have ever seen. Now that I have done my own research on the JFK assasination, I would now have to say it is one of the best fictional movies ever made.

The acting, the story, the cinematography...everything about this movie (except for the fast editing which makes me dizzy) is great. If only it was true. The fact is, none of it is true.

After extensive research, I have come to the following conclusions:

1) Oswald was a nutcase. He really WAS a nutcase. He didn't even have a drivers license. He never owned a car nor knew how to drive one. In fact, he took 3 Sunday driving lessons with Ruth Paine a few weeks before the assasination. So after shooting and missing ultra-right-wing leader General Edwin A. Walker, he buried the gun near railway tracks and then caught the bus home. After killing JFK, he also caught the bus. I wonder if he got an all day pass or 2 hour ticket? Oswald you cheapskate!

2) When in the Russian embassy in Mexico, the KGB figured out he was the nutcase that had already been to the Soviet Union. So they kicked him out. Another bus ride back home (where he even chatted-up some nice Aussie babes on the bus - Oswald was definately a lady's man).

3) Jack Ruby was a nutcase. How do I know? He had about 10 outstanding traffic fines. How much crazier can you get? So the nutcase shot the nutcase. Big deal.

4) Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, I have actually met some of these ex-Soviet woman who marry Western men so they can emigrate to the West. Believe me, these women are as thick as a brick (and desperate too). So when it came to marrying Oswald, Marina obviously knew a good catch when she saw one.

If you watch documentaries where people who actually knew Oswald and Ruby speak, you can see in their recollections that both were eccentric and arrogant. WE DIDN'T KNOW THEM. So who are we to judge otherwise and come to tentative conclusions.