Gunner Palace (2004)
Title: 'Gunner Palace' (2004)
Genre: Documentary
Rating: 6.5/10
Dissapointed. Your trailer totally fooled me. I think it was the Hendrix. Y'know, I not really a huge Hendrix fan, but his jams are habenero on film.
Merits:
1. It totally had the 'down time' vibe that 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987) and 'Apocalypse Now' (1979) created during the 'streetside stolen camera' & 'french villa', respectively. Right away I found myself comparing 'Gunner Palace' with other wartime films. The soldiers and Director knew that this was going to be an issue for the viewer, so they address it. Just a little too late for me though. A more pre-emptive attempt would've carried this film further. Once that seed is planted, it's hard not to find yourself looking at your wristwatch towards the end of the movie. Sounds shallow, but honest injun, if you tell me any different you're just bleeding your own compassion into this subpar documentary.
2. The part of this movie that hit me hardest was actually in the deleted scenes. A handful of soldiers visiting an orphange for girls and watching them put on a choreographed performance...The soldiers laughing and clapping. That just didn't sit right in my stomach.
3. A few of the interviewed subects really get you. They are real honest, and you can almost begin to cauterize what it is like to be in 'Minor Combat' over there: 'The only people who will remember this, is us... The people stiing at home watching us can pause to microwave their popcorn.' & 'To you this is a movie, to us it is Life.'
4. As the Gunners and their APC's leave for a 3am mission, one of the soldiers boomboxes (or maybe vehicle p.a.) is blasting 'Flight of the Valkyries'
Demerits:
1. It comes across that most of the interviewed subjects are more all about a chance to be on camera than sharing their experiences and opinons. Many beatboxing and rapping to get their feelings across. This would work for me, if it happened once or twice. But unfortunatley it was a motif for the film, and occured about a dozen times. Maybe, a couple of them had skills, the others... Yeowch.
2. It was shitty camera work. The guy who shot this thing was a journalist, not a camerman. Fox's 'COPS' crew are better cinematographers. Actually, that's kinda what this wasted opportunity felt like, 'COPS: Iraq'.
3. Piss poor editing. So bad. It totally crippled this whole picture.
---
In summary, the trailer gave out this fakie vibe, like everything was going to be totally surreal up in Iraq.
Not the case. These guys happen to have a swimming pool and a mini-golf range. That's all. The rest of movie is just some mediocre guy sloppin' with the troops for a few months. We're lucky to have a few of these soldiers caught on film. It's just a shame it was this one.
Use this movie if you're studying contemporary history, otherwise rent a KaneKong favorite. Again.
The opening/closing credits mention that a portion of the DVD sales go towards supporting the troops. Do them a favor, just send them cash.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: 6.5/10
Dissapointed. Your trailer totally fooled me. I think it was the Hendrix. Y'know, I not really a huge Hendrix fan, but his jams are habenero on film.
Merits:
1. It totally had the 'down time' vibe that 'Full Metal Jacket' (1987) and 'Apocalypse Now' (1979) created during the 'streetside stolen camera' & 'french villa', respectively. Right away I found myself comparing 'Gunner Palace' with other wartime films. The soldiers and Director knew that this was going to be an issue for the viewer, so they address it. Just a little too late for me though. A more pre-emptive attempt would've carried this film further. Once that seed is planted, it's hard not to find yourself looking at your wristwatch towards the end of the movie. Sounds shallow, but honest injun, if you tell me any different you're just bleeding your own compassion into this subpar documentary.
2. The part of this movie that hit me hardest was actually in the deleted scenes. A handful of soldiers visiting an orphange for girls and watching them put on a choreographed performance...The soldiers laughing and clapping. That just didn't sit right in my stomach.
3. A few of the interviewed subects really get you. They are real honest, and you can almost begin to cauterize what it is like to be in 'Minor Combat' over there: 'The only people who will remember this, is us... The people stiing at home watching us can pause to microwave their popcorn.' & 'To you this is a movie, to us it is Life.'
4. As the Gunners and their APC's leave for a 3am mission, one of the soldiers boomboxes (or maybe vehicle p.a.) is blasting 'Flight of the Valkyries'
Demerits:
1. It comes across that most of the interviewed subjects are more all about a chance to be on camera than sharing their experiences and opinons. Many beatboxing and rapping to get their feelings across. This would work for me, if it happened once or twice. But unfortunatley it was a motif for the film, and occured about a dozen times. Maybe, a couple of them had skills, the others... Yeowch. 2. It was shitty camera work. The guy who shot this thing was a journalist, not a camerman. Fox's 'COPS' crew are better cinematographers. Actually, that's kinda what this wasted opportunity felt like, 'COPS: Iraq'.
3. Piss poor editing. So bad. It totally crippled this whole picture.
---
In summary, the trailer gave out this fakie vibe, like everything was going to be totally surreal up in Iraq.
Not the case. Use this movie if you're studying contemporary history, otherwise rent a KaneKong favorite. Again.
The opening/closing credits mention that a portion of the DVD sales go towards supporting the troops. Do them a favor, just send them cash.
posted by Kong at
9:52 AM
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