Anyone seen "Red Tails" yet

[photoweborama]

It comes out this Friday, but I'm sure they have had pre-screenings somewhere.
Anyone get to see it yet?

The trailers look really good and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

[Agave_Blue]

The trailers look like the CGI was done as a sophomore high school project.

[superbadj]

yeah. i'm a huge aviation fan. but something about this movie reminds me of "Flyboys", which may have been one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

[telefunken]

Originally Posted by Agave_Blue

The trailers look like the CGI was done as a sophomore high school project.

+1
I refuse to watch it, looks silly

[fraser]

the tuskegee airmen movie is what? 17 years old?
its a good movie- i watch it everytime its on.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114745/
but why re-visit the same story so soon?
so many compelling ww2 stories have yet to be put to modern film.
of course, i already know 'why'- no need to clarify for me.
but geez.
i will watch it when it appears on tv.
id like to see something portraying the story of saburo sakai.
or hans-ulrich rudel.

[cobrat]

Though I've seen the previous HBO movie, I may consider going to see Red Tails in the theater because it is one of the only aviation movies in recent memories that looks interesting enough to view in the theater.

id like to see something portraying the story of saburo sakai.
or hans-ulrich rudel.

Not going to happen for at least another few decades....still too sensitive for some worldwide*...especially in the WWII generation/kids and more importantly to filmmakers...not going to attract enough interest to rake in the dough from the US audience for the studios.

* Doesn't help that Rudel continued to exhibit far-right sympathies in Germany after the war and Sakai downplayed some atrocities committed by Imperial Japanese forces. Also, still know some WWII vets/their kids who are so disgusted by atrocities committed by those Axis countries that they still refuse to buy any German or Japanese products.

[elicross]

I saw George Lucas talking about Red Tails on The Daily Show. He made some comments about it being in the style of old WWII movies. Seemed kinda like he was concerned that people would find the movie corny or campy, and he was trying to convince potential viewers that it was made that way on purpose.

If that's the case, it doesn't bode well. If the guy who directed the Star Wars prequels and produced Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull is worried that Red Tails is too corny, well...holy cow. It might make Flyboys look like The Right Stuff.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who keeps thinking of the well-made HBO movie about the Tuskegee Airmen. It's annoyed me a bit to see Red Tails presented as if it's the first movie to tell this great story. Lucas talked about how he felt pressure to get Red Tails done while some of the Airmen were still alive, so they could see their story told to the public...I couldn't help thinking "That's already been done...and possibly better."

Having said all that, I do hope it's good. I hope it's great. It's a fantastic story, and it could stand to be told a dozen times...as long as it's told well.

[TeleKato]

Originally Posted by elicross

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who keeps thinking of the well-made HBO movie about the Tuskegee Airmen. It's annoyed me a bit to see Red Tails presented as if it's the first movie to tell this great story.

Odd that Cuba Gooding Jr. was in the HBO movie ... I kept waiting for him to mention that on Piers Morgan last night. Must've been when I stepped out for a cheese-whiz.

[User Name:]

Originally Posted by superbadj

but something about this movie reminds me of "Flyboys", which may have been one of the worst movies I've ever seen.

I actually really liked Flyboys. It's not great if you're looking for something historical, but it was a fun watch.

[elicross]

Originally Posted by TeleKato

Odd that Cuba Gooding Jr. was in the HBO movie ... I kept waiting for him to mention that on Piers Morgan last night. Must've been when I stepped out for a cheese-whiz.

I didn't even think about that connection! It's especially weird if a guy who was in both movies is pretending Red Tails is the first movie about the Airmen.

I'm starting to remember details about the HBO movie. The pilots singing "Straighten Up and Fly Right" over their radios...Eleanor Roosevelt's visit to the airfield...good stuff!

[kelnet]

Red Tails will probably have a lot more action than Tuskegee Airmen, and a lot less social commentary.

"Yeah, yeah, African-American pilots had to struggle. Blah Blah. Now show me real good blow ups 'n stuff."

Hey, you gotta give the audience what they want, right?

[Markdett]

I am looking forward to seeing it. The racial/social component aside, The Tuskeegee Airmen had one of the finest combat records in the ETO. For that alone they are worth remembering, and honoring.

[Darrell]

I am with Mark...I am kind of shocked the Tuskeegee Airmen story has not hit the big screen before now. Love the WW movies as a whole. With technology today, they should make a whole bunch of them. I would probably go see every one.

I thought Flyboys was pretty cool. Yes, some of the CGI was weak, but I still enjoyed it.

[Whoa Tele]

I just wonder how accurate it will be. One of the scenes from the trailer ( "we fight we fight we fight" ) reminds me of Drew Brees a NFL pregame ritual.

[Toto'sDad]

Watching guys sit in what amounts to simulators, and seeing a bunch of computer generated air craft doesn't do a whole lot for me.

[Toto'sDad]

I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but I was watching a movie yesterday, and when a guy came creeping around a corner menacingly, I just lost interest. I kept seeing a bunch of guys coming back from a big lunch standing around saying OK we gotta get the coming around the corner thing right.

[photoweborama]

I tend to like to get lost in the story. When it is a story worth telling, then slight deficiencies in CG don't tend to bother me that much.

Heck, it's P-51's, WWII combat simulation... what's not to like?
I mean, I loved the film, The Last Starfighter. Talk about poor CG, but it was a groundbreaking film, and has a huge cult following even today.

[Brother Rob]

Originally Posted by Whoa Tele

...One of the scenes from the trailer ( "we fight we fight we fight" ) reminds me of Drew Brees a NFL pregame ritual.

Yeah, every time I see that it feels like a complete anachronism. Looks like a terrible movie.

[nadzab]

Originally Posted by User Name:

I actually really liked Flyboys. It's not great if you're looking for something historical, but it was a fun watch.

I liked it too. Unfortunately, most war films that come out these days leave a lot to be desired in the accuracy department (e.g., the P-40s that maneuvered like F-18s in Pearl Harbor), but some can be entertaining. I'll go see Red Tails, because I'll go see any movie that's predominantly about WWII aerial combat, but I'll keep my expectations realistic.

[Brother Rob]

Saw it.

Terrible dialogue, worse acting.

Decent air action, but zero background on what was going on.

Some of the CGI wasn't very good.

Overall: C-/D+

Guess I'll find a good book on Tuskegee to get a more complete story.