Rating: 
Summary: THE MOST HUMAN FILM EVER MADE
Review: "What are you to me?" asks an American soldier of a dying Japanese stranger. "Nothing" is his answer. Later in one of the films many heartbreaking sequences that same soldiers sits crying in the rain holding the liver of that very Japanese soldier. The Thin Red Line which is the best and most powerful film I've ever seen in the cinema is not a film about plot, but rather about questions. "Where does this evil come from? Does our ruin benefit the earth". Lt.Tall(Nick Nolte in a commanding performance) as the driven leader of Charlie company argues that it is in nature for all beings to be vicious "Look at those vines, twining , swallowing everything, nature is cruel Strauss." Thus begins the central battle of The Thin Red Line, between faith of Private Witt(Jim Caviezal) and cynicism(Sean Penn), between mindless drive for victory at any cost(Nolte) and humanism (Eleas Koteas). It is an epic battle, of ideas, emotions and images."One Man sees a dying bird and sees nothing but death, another man looks at that same bird and sees the glory shining through it". The film thus puts forward the question of perhaps a hidden purpose to our suffering to our death in order to make sense of it all. The criticism that you can't tell the voice-overs apart is pointless, because that very fact is part of the films theme "Maybe all men got one big soul, one big self". As much as I love Apocalypse Now and Platoon, these were merely films with political points to make, but for me this film was more of a spiritual experience. I've seen it 11 times thus far, and like all great movies, new riches are discovered every time you see it. The comparison to Saving Private Ryan is apt in my view, as it shows what a hiprocritical peice of God and Country propaganda that film was. Even for those who champion that film will have to agree that it was their first veiwing of the film that effected them most. A second viewing of that film will expose the cheap manipulations that are buried under the carniage on the first viewing. Throughout The Thin Red Line characters ask the great bewildering one "Let me see things the way you do, Let me see things the way you do" and ofcourse are unanswered. Don't worry I haven't spoiled anything with these discriptions, because the film is an experience that can't be described with words, it is dramatically/photgraphically/spiritually and thanks to Hans Zimmer's brilliant score, musically a masterpiece. As far as I'm concerned this film should play 24 hours a day at the louvre as a testament to human achievement.
Rating:
Summary: G.I.Q. Joe
Review: I see that quite the skirmish has broken out between people compelled to say they loved this movie and those who say it was awful...I say PUT DOWN YOUR ARMS! If you were unimpressed by this film it is O.K. Writing a review -even a negative one- is a positive first step...your attention span CAN BE lengthened with some effort...your video games and sitcoms are calling...
Rating:
Summary: righteous obssesion
Review: This film is confronting the debate of obssesion, it's righteousness or futility, with a backdrop of war, what better setting in which to study obssesion. We see several subjects who are all obssesed with something, one of which is obssesed with God. According to Christian beliefs, those of mine, one's purpose on Earth is to glorify God. Though in a nonChristian since some of the things they are obssesed with are not bad they still aren't God; thus, he is the only one who in the end is swimming in a world of purity. Much like how all are who lay aside their daily obssision and become obssesed with God.
Rating: 
Summary: The Thin Red Line
Review: I thought this movie was a masterpiece. But, like all masterepices, there are shortcomings. I felt that some of the interludes in the movies were a bit drawn out, otherwise it was great. I must confess, that when i saw it in the theatre i was a bit disappointed. I was expecting it to be a bit more like Saving Private Ryan, as were the people I was with, and consequently left feeling like I had been cheated.After I thought about it though, the way in which this film was presented was in some ways superior to Private Ryan. This movie focused more on the individual characters and their personal feelings and experiences. The other thing that I found amazing in this movie was the camera work, it was simply awe inspiring. In the first major battle scene, if you watch the way the camera is positioned, it really gives you a greater feeling for the way the battle took place. An all around great movie.
Rating:
Summary: MALICK'S HAT TRICK
Review: It angers me how people don't get this movie. How they fail to see its layered brilliance. Its intelligence. Its ideas. This is a perfect film directed by a true artist. Check out DAYS OF HEAVEN and BADLANDS.
Rating:
Summary: Excellant!
Review: excellant piece of work by Malick.Those who fought or have been in a war can identify with this artwork.Without typical Hollywood plots or cliches by Spielberg,the movie explores raw human nature and what things keep soldiers from going insane during war moments
Rating: 
Summary: very disappointed
Review: I was totally disappointed with this movie. It's not even in the same class with "Saving Private Ryan." It's boring, historically inaccurate, and drags on way too long. Don't expect to learn anything about the real battle of Guadalcanal from this trash. The battle scenes are very routine and nothing special. From what I recall, historically, the Americans were on the defensive. However, in this movie they are attacking. This movie was soo boring that I couldn't even finish watching it. Don't waste your time with this movie unless you have insomnia.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible. Couldn't even finish it.
Review: After wasting an 1.5 hours of my life watching this drivel, I couldn't take it anymore. If you enjoy countless rambling voiceovers, numerous shots of green grass waving in the wind, a story with no discernable plot, characters that you don't care about (or maybe even hate) then this is the movie for you. Otherwise, stay away.
Rating:
Summary: the finest film of the 90's
Review: Possibly the most powerful dramatic genre of film, war movies are never ignored. And in this day and age war films have certain expectations to become sucessful and praiseworthy: they must have a clear and evil villian, they must have an ideal GI hero, they must be provided with a sentimental patriotic score (John Williams the masses salute you) and most importantly war films must pack reassurance, a way to incorporate that killing is necessary, that war shuts out tyranny, and delivers strength to a country. (It doesn't hurt to flat out say the film's dedication is to the American men who saved the USA and ended the holocaust...aka Mr. Spielberg). Terrence Malick's 1998 war film "The Thin Red Line" was a terrible box office flop. On a 60 million budget the film made barely 10 million at the box office. It was the shadow that never existed at the 98 Oscars and many professional critics included such supposed millionaire movie judges like Roger Ebert, dismissed the film. The answer is simple, I see it every time I'm around a wide body of people: the film never pounds any answers into our heads like most three hour films (such as the recents films of Darabout, Spielberg, Cameron) "Line" is an essay, a poem, filled with questions and theory. In short we, in our stress-induced mocha fueled, cell phone powered lives want to laugh, want to cry, want to lean our heads against our spouse, and dwell in reassurance at a movie. We don't want to question.. The Thin Red Line is an anti-thesis toward war, war films, and the modern day pace of living. The film begins with Private Witt, a AWOL-ed transcendentalist who has found heaven on earth in the form of life among the natives of the Solomon islands. In this life, Witt finds no fear, thus he discovers immortality; to give yourself and die without a fear in your soul. Already, without wide realization, Witt has become one of the most unforgettable screen characters. He is the most intriguing character in a war picture since Col. Kurtz of "Apocalypse Now" and Hollywood screenwriters such as "American Beauty's" Alan Ball have recognized Malick's creation (just look at "Beauty's" character Ricky Fitts and his strong resembalance to Witt). The fact that so many critics have called Thin Red Line character's unfocused and bland is truth that the philosopical aspect of film is dying. The characters in Line are all original (much unlike the cliche roles of Spielberg's "Ryan"). Pvt. Bell discovers that lust and desire are interpreted in many forms, as his hearts contentness fades when his wife explains she could not withstand the wait for his homecoming. Sgt. Welsh's lonliness is only unbalanced by his kindness as he realizes that the image of one man can make a difference. ("If I never meet you in this life, let me feel the lack. A glance from your eyes, and my life will be yours"). The confrontation between Col. Tall and Cpt. Staros give Malick's deliverance to Kubrick's "Paths of Glory" with his internal conflict between the soilder and the authoriy who orders death for the sake of ego. Possibly the greatest reason I award Malick's film as the decade's finest is because it's nothing short of revolutionary. It has much more in common with "2001: A Space Oddessy" than it does with "Saving Private Ryan" like most reviews compare. Both "2001" and Malick's film construct stances on humanity's present circumstance and idealism. Whereas "2001" stretched 50 years into the future to show how we destroy ourselves, "Thin Red" streches 50 years into the past. It poses the question: why do we fight one another? So simple a child could ask it, but no Harvard genius could even ponder to explain a right answer. Beyond all the polics and rich egoists, why do we even have enemies? Would the earth be a finer place without us? Does our ruin benefit the earth? In perhaps the most powerful cinematic scene of the 1990's American and Japanese soilders senselessly kill one another through fog, and destroy a village in mid-morning while many Japanese are having prayer. The battle is set to Hans Zimmer's detesting ballad "Silence". There are no heros no villians, just chaos coming to a climax. It ends with a brave monologue in the second person that speaks directly to the audience that clapped for "Ryan's" US GI's as they burned some Nazi's to death: "Is this darkness in you too?"
Rating:
Summary: Tantalizing
Review: Having been released during a great film year (Shakespeare in Love, Life is Beautiful, Private Ryan...), I thought that this was a diamond amongst gems. No, it is NOT a typical shoot-em-up action-packed war movie, so don't buy it if you expect a "traditional" Hollywood plot, and NO, this is NOT a "feel-good" movie! However, I think this is an extremely gorgeous film; the cinematography is superb and you will be rewarded for purchasing the widescreen version. Moreover, any individual who considers themself a philosopher, student of life, and/or citizen of the world will find in The Thin Red Line a rewarding journey through the nature of human behavior and the meaning of our existence. I am not a veteran and I cannot judge the accuracy of how the film depicts WWII in the Pacific, but I firmly believe that Malick has given us a remarkabale opportunity to pause, reflect, and rethink the way we will ensue with our lives. Bring an open mind to this film; it will challenge you.
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