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NFT: Midway? Any good?

Bill L : 11/12/2019 11:30 am
I was looking forward to it but I didn't really see any buzz. Started having Affleck Pearl Harbor flashbacks.
50/50 from the critics  
BillT : 11/12/2019 11:39 am : link
92% Favorable from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
It looks horrendous in the commercials  
Greg from LI : 11/12/2019 11:39 am : link
The CGI is so bad. Looks like a cartoon, or a video game
Looks absolutely awful  
Oscar : 11/12/2019 11:41 am : link
Might give it a shot on Netflix one day but that’s it.
I thought it looked cool to go see in IMAX.  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/12/2019 11:41 am : link
Surprised so many hating on it.
The original was awesome!  
Tom from LI : 11/12/2019 11:44 am : link
1976.. I saw it with my dad. My dad and I always saw the military movies together. Another gem is The Final Countdown. The Tom Cat scenes make that movie worth it alone.

This new one looks comical with the CGI. I can't even bring myself to watch it.
RE: The original was awesome!  
Racer : 11/12/2019 11:49 am : link
In comment 14677169 Tom from LI said:
Quote:
1976.. I saw it with my dad. My dad and I always saw the military movies together. Another gem is The Final Countdown. The Tom Cat scenes make that movie worth it alone.

This new one looks comical with the CGI. I can't even bring myself to watch it.


Sensurround, baby!
Looks terrible..  
Chris in Philly : 11/12/2019 11:51 am : link
and considering who directed it, I'm not surprised.

It's a shame. The original was prime for a remake. They should really do Coral Sea and Midway as a Band of Brothers-type show...
I'll go see it...  
x meadowlander : 11/12/2019 11:54 am : link
...I've called often for a remake of this film - I fully expect the worst - you honestly cannot fully tell this story in 2 hours.

I see there's no Ben Affleck, so it can't be THAT bad, can it?

RE: I'll go see it...  
Chris in Philly : 11/12/2019 12:17 pm : link
In comment 14677185 x meadowlander said:
Quote:
...I've called often for a remake of this film - I fully expect the worst - you honestly cannot fully tell this story in 2 hours.

I see there's no Ben Affleck, so it can't be THAT bad, can it?


Nick Jonas is not exactly leap years better than Affleck...
I enjoyed it...  
GA5 : 11/12/2019 12:22 pm : link
Definitely not another "Pearl Harbor" which I despised. This is actually fact based, and seems to borrow a lot from the book "Pacific Crucible" by Ian Toll, which I read a while back. With its quick cuts and heavy use of CGI, it is definitely made for a 2019 audience. I have seen pretty much every WWII movie made and I felt that Midway, while not close to being the greatest, is a good movie that respects its subject matter.
RE: The original was awesome!  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 11/12/2019 12:30 pm : link
In comment 14677169 Tom from LI said:
Quote:
1976.. I saw it with my dad. My dad and I always saw the military movies together. Another gem is The Final Countdown. The Tom Cat scenes make that movie worth it alone.

This new one looks comical with the CGI. I can't even bring myself to watch it.


I don't know if I'd call Final Countdown a gem, but it's a guilty pleasure.

The original Midway is a classic. There is a longer version that has the Coral Sea battle in it, but I think that was released for the TV market. I can't find it.
RE: RE: The original was awesome!  
Tom from LI : 11/12/2019 12:38 pm : link
In comment 14677233 Eric from BBI said:
Quote:
In comment 14677169 Tom from LI said:



I don't know if I'd call Final Countdown a gem, but it's a guilty pleasure.



I agree Eric, its more of a guilty pleasure. But at 13 years old and watching those 2 F14's toy with those Japanese Zeros..It made a lasting impression with me.
RE: RE: The original was awesome!  
Tom from LI : 11/12/2019 12:39 pm : link
In comment 14677176 Racer said:
Quote:
In comment 14677169 Tom from LI said:


Quote:

Sensurround, baby!


LMAO.. yes, I just had a flashback.
Surprised the Chinese allowed it to be made  
HomerJones45 : 11/12/2019 12:43 pm : link
Since it was a great American victory. Then again, they aren't fans of the Japanese.
RE: RE: I'll go see it...  
figgy2989 : 11/12/2019 12:44 pm : link
In comment 14677218 Chris in Philly said:
Quote:
In comment 14677185 x meadowlander said:


Quote:


...I've called often for a remake of this film - I fully expect the worst - you honestly cannot fully tell this story in 2 hours.

I see there's no Ben Affleck, so it can't be THAT bad, can it?




Nick Jonas is not exactly leap years better than Affleck...


Yeah, when you have a Jonas brother as one of the lead actors who plays a pilot, how good can this be?
Yeah...  
BamaBlue : 11/12/2019 12:56 pm : link
not nearly as wierd as a 50-something Tom Cruise as a Navy Captain in a redux of Topgun. Now that "you've lost that loving feeling" has context. Maverick has craptastic written all over it...
RE: Yeah...  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/12/2019 12:59 pm : link
In comment 14677301 BamaBlue said:
Quote:
not nearly as wierd as a 50-something Tom Cruise as a Navy Captain in a redux of Topgun. Now that "you've lost that loving feeling" has context. Maverick has craptastic written all over it...


In the Navy Captain is an 0-6, most those guys are in their 50's. If he is flying planes that is ridiculous, but are you sure he's not just in a leadership role.
RE: RE: The original was awesome!  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/12/2019 1:02 pm : link
In comment 14677233 Eric from BBI said:
Quote:
In comment 14677169 Tom from LI said:


Quote:


1976.. I saw it with my dad. My dad and I always saw the military movies together. Another gem is The Final Countdown. The Tom Cat scenes make that movie worth it alone.

This new one looks comical with the CGI. I can't even bring myself to watch it.



I don't know if I'd call Final Countdown a gem, but it's a guilty pleasure.

The original Midway is a classic. There is a longer version that has the Coral Sea battle in it, but I think that was released for the TV market. I can't find it.


I recently saw Final Countdown and as a guy that was on an aircraft carrier for a few years, I thought they did a great job portraying the "hardness" of a carrier. Also fuck the Nimitz for breaking down, had to go on back to back deployments to the Persian Gulf because of that shit.
Agreed about the 1976 version  
Bubba : 11/12/2019 1:05 pm : link
one of my all time favorite movies. Wish I could find the complete unedited version. My understanding is that it was accidentally destroyed somehow.
RE: RE: Yeah...  
BamaBlue : 11/12/2019 1:33 pm : link
In comment 14677310 Zeke's Alibi said:
Quote:
In comment 14677301 BamaBlue said:


Quote:


not nearly as wierd as a 50-something Tom Cruise as a Navy Captain in a redux of Topgun. Now that "you've lost that loving feeling" has context. Maverick has craptastic written all over it...



In the Navy Captain is an 0-6, most those guys are in their 50's. If he is flying planes that is ridiculous, but are you sure he's not just in a leadership role.


Yeah... he's not only flying, but they tease him in the trailer wearing a space suit (high altitude pressure suit). I get the 50-something, because while Cruise is 57 (still pretty old for a Navy Captain -- 30 years maximum service puts the mandatory get-out time around 52 years old), he's probably role playing at a younger age.
TORA! TORA! TORA!  
x meadowlander : 11/12/2019 1:39 pm : link
Midway with Heston is a favorite of mine, though a cinematic mess with the feel of a made-for-TV movie. They simply didn't have the budget to do it right, went with a ton of stock footage and weak effects, and a lot of scenes did not flow as a result.

The real gem of 70's war flicks was TORA! TORA! TORA! - that film had the budget and some of the best special effects of the era.

To do Midway right, you've got to tell the whole story of where both navies and their respective carrier fleets were at that point in time. Why Coral Sea was so critical to Midway.

Looking forward to it, no Ben Affleck, No Will Smith, No Randy Quaid... should be ok. :)
RE: TORA! TORA! TORA!  
Eric from BBI : Admin : 11/12/2019 2:45 pm : link
In comment 14677382 x meadowlander said:
Quote:
Midway with Heston is a favorite of mine, though a cinematic mess with the feel of a made-for-TV movie. They simply didn't have the budget to do it right, went with a ton of stock footage and weak effects, and a lot of scenes did not flow as a result.

The real gem of 70's war flicks was TORA! TORA! TORA! - that film had the budget and some of the best special effects of the era.

To do Midway right, you've got to tell the whole story of where both navies and their respective carrier fleets were at that point in time. Why Coral Sea was so critical to Midway.

Looking forward to it, no Ben Affleck, No Will Smith, No Randy Quaid... should be ok. :)


Yup, the real war movie junkies know that Midway took a a number of shots right out of Tora, Tora, Tora. It was so bad in one scene that you see the Japanese torpedo planes supposedly attacking Midway with ship structures in the background. They even use the same scene with the B-17 landing with one wheel hung up.

Still, I love the movie.
Wild scene in 'Tora!'  
x meadowlander : 11/12/2019 3:10 pm : link
There's a scene in "TORA! TORA! TORA!" where a P40 is attempting to take off - the nose of the propeller is shot off, then the plane veers into a line of parked P40's and explodes - many soldiers running from the spinning, burning wreckage.

Very realistic.

TOO realistic.

The plane was remote controlled and the operator lost control. It was supposed to explode alone on the runway - those guys in the scene running for their lives WERE RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES!

Some good YouTube reviews of that flick exist that highlight some incredibly dangerous stunts in the making of that one.
I actually thought it was going to be terrible based on the trailer  
NY-Fan : 11/12/2019 3:57 pm : link
But it was far better than expected. I actually enjoyed it and the special effects weren’t bad at all. I recommend it for sure.
It's not a remake of the 1976 Midway  
Mendenhall64 : 11/12/2019 5:04 pm : link
It's more like 1944's A Wing and a Prayer
Zeke  
Bill2 : 11/12/2019 6:46 pm : link
When you refer to the "hardness" of a carrier, what aspects of carrier life are you speaking of?

And, of course, thank you very much for your service
RE: Zeke  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/12/2019 7:02 pm : link
In comment 14677870 Bill2 said:
Quote:
When you refer to the "hardness" of a carrier, what aspects of carrier life are you speaking of?

And, of course, thank you very much for your service


I'm trying to communicate this better. Just the tight ladders, metal everywhere, hatches, constant ducking. Its pretty hard standing on metal all day everyday. Of course that could be my cognitive biases talking. Kind of crazy how much didn't change other than some updated paint schemes. They used a lot of beige, but I don't remember too much outside Navy Grey and dark grey outside of some ceremonial paint. Occasionally things would be covered in Asbestos or safety padding.
RE: RE: Zeke  
Diver_Down : 11/12/2019 7:06 pm : link
In comment 14677882 Zeke's Alibi said:
Quote:
In comment 14677870 Bill2 said:


Quote:


When you refer to the "hardness" of a carrier, what aspects of carrier life are you speaking of?

And, of course, thank you very much for your service



I'm trying to communicate this better. Just the tight ladders, metal everywhere, hatches, constant ducking. Its pretty hard standing on metal all day everyday. Of course that could be my cognitive biases talking. Kind of crazy how much didn't change other than some updated paint schemes. They used a lot of beige, but I don't remember too much outside Navy Grey and dark grey outside of some ceremonial paint. Occasionally things would be covered in Asbestos or safety padding.


Reminds me of when my unit transitioned from infantry to armor. We called them tank bites.
RE: RE: RE: Yeah...  
Darth Paul : 11/13/2019 6:59 am : link
In comment 14677374 BamaBlue said:
Quote:
In comment 14677310 Zeke's Alibi said:


Quote:


In comment 14677301 BamaBlue said:


Quote:


not nearly as wierd as a 50-something Tom Cruise as a Navy Captain in a redux of Topgun. Now that "you've lost that loving feeling" has context. Maverick has craptastic written all over it...



In the Navy Captain is an 0-6, most those guys are in their 50's. If he is flying planes that is ridiculous, but are you sure he's not just in a leadership role.



Yeah... he's not only flying, but they tease him in the trailer wearing a space suit (high altitude pressure suit). I get the 50-something, because while Cruise is 57 (still pretty old for a Navy Captain -- 30 years maximum service puts the mandatory get-out time around 52 years old), he's probably role playing at a younger age.


Tom Skeritt? Was not young when he was running Top Gun in the first.
I think mandatory retirement for O6 and above is 40 years  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/13/2019 7:02 am : link
:
RE: I think mandatory retirement for O6 and above is 40 years  
BamaBlue : 11/13/2019 7:34 am : link
In comment 14678232 Zeke's Alibi said:
Quote:
:


It's 30. The confusion is with a recent change to the mandatory retirement age (different than the time in service). The maximum age to join the military was raised from 34 to 39. To accommodate this and allow for 20 years of service (retirement eligibility), there is a increase in mandatory retirement age. Mandatory retirement age rose from 55 to 62.
Well I just read multiple stories of officers in for 40 years, ones  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/13/2019 7:39 am : link
that aren't even at the admiral or general rank so I think you are mistaken.
Check this link out...  
BamaBlue : 11/13/2019 8:01 am : link
LINK:
Military Mandatory Retirement - ( New Window )
That is for enlisted, key word there.  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/13/2019 8:06 am : link
.
Thank you Zeke  
Bill2 : 11/14/2019 6:19 pm : link
Id second that based on the ships I have been on
Just saw it  
5BowlsSoon : 11/19/2019 6:51 pm : link
I gave it a 10 stars on IMDb. I absolutely loved every minute. Very intense on the edge of my seat and I was clapping loudly at the end. I will check for inaccuracies later tonight just to know. Nevertheless, still would give it a 10 even if they did take some what do you call it? Entertainment license I think.

Yes, I did see the original way back when. I loved that a lot too.
Question...  
BamaBlue : 11/20/2019 8:20 am : link
for those who have seen the movie. Is there enough action and substance to engage an 11 year old and an 8 year old?

I'd like to take my grandkids to see the movie as a way to get them interested in history.
RE: Question...  
Ron from Ninerland : 11/20/2019 9:08 am : link
In comment 14684351 BamaBlue said:
Quote:
for those who have seen the movie. Is there enough action and substance to engage an 11 year old and an 8 year old?

I'd like to take my grandkids to see the movie as a way to get them interested in history.
Short answer: It depends. Its a long movie but fast moving movie. Unlike many historical dramas, every character in this movie is a true historical figure with no central character. It briefly shows pre WW II negotiations with the Japanese and the attack at Pearl Harbor, but doesn't go into detail about the events leading up to Midway. A young child unfamiliar with the history of WW II might get lost in this movie. As for the battle itself, its the best I've ever seen. Not only from a technical viewpoint, but from an emotional one. This movie captures the importance of this battle and the desperation of both sides. The scene in which Dick Best drops the bomb that sunk the Japanese flagship felt like Luke Skywalker hitting the Death Star, and the movie builds it up that way.

Again, I don't know how a child would react. Depending on the kid, they may be bored, or they may hit Wikipedia right after the movie as I did and read up on the true characters and events.
Thanks Ron...  
BamaBlue : 11/20/2019 9:13 am : link
I think I'll give it a try. I'll do some setup with them. It's difficult to decompose a complex world changing event to young kids. The 11 year old has had some exposure to WWII history, but he 8 year old -- not so much.
I saw it this past weekend  
Bill L : 11/20/2019 9:33 am : link
I found it extremely enjoyable.
Is this something worth to go see in IMAX or just wait for it to come  
Zeke's Alibi : 11/20/2019 9:37 am : link
out on home release?
I was surprised  
Bill2 : 11/22/2019 7:53 pm : link
We all know there are many facets to the story, so its easy to unbalance by focusing on one or two dimensions of it and easy to drop out important considerations.

We all know the battle too well, so factual discrepancies would have been noticed and annoying

Its hard to make a Hollywood movie without love interests and loyal wives under pressure and human interest angles. There are some of these.

I actually thought Woody Harrelson as Nimitz would throw the movie off kilter ( like the actor but couldn't see how the hambone from Zombieland would be the collected disciplined Nimitz of real life. I was wrong. he was quite good. Aside from a badly adopted NJ accent on the Dick Best character, the acting was war movie serviceable.

I thought the movie didn't get lost in the codebreaker angle or the luck aspect of the battle, but instead concentrated on the unbelievable (and true to the actual record) courage of so many pilots and navy personnel.

I liked the treatment of the Doolittle Raid and its impact on Japanese leadership thinking post the raid.

Most of all, I just liked the movie. The air scenes were really well done. Id recommend it. You wont learn anything new, but surprisingly, it was enjoyable

There are US Navy men from NJ that are still alive and who served during WWII. Somehow, I do not know how, you occasionally see them taken to events in NJ. Some of them were in the Theatre today with their families.

Back then, our country really kicked ass and found some tremendous heroes when we needed them
RE: I was surprised  
Bill L : 11/22/2019 8:25 pm : link
In comment 14687123 Bill2 said:
Quote:
We all know there are many facets to the story, so its easy to unbalance by focusing on one or two dimensions of it and easy to drop out important considerations.

We all know the battle too well, so factual discrepancies would have been noticed and annoying

Its hard to make a Hollywood movie without love interests and loyal wives under pressure and human interest angles. There are some of these.

I actually thought Woody Harrelson as Nimitz would throw the movie off kilter ( like the actor but couldn't see how the hambone from Zombieland would be the collected disciplined Nimitz of real life. I was wrong. he was quite good. Aside from a badly adopted NJ accent on the Dick Best character, the acting was war movie serviceable.

I thought the movie didn't get lost in the codebreaker angle or the luck aspect of the battle, but instead concentrated on the unbelievable (and true to the actual record) courage of so many pilots and navy personnel.

I liked the treatment of the Doolittle Raid and its impact on Japanese leadership thinking post the raid.

Most of all, I just liked the movie. The air scenes were really well done. Id recommend it. You wont learn anything new, but surprisingly, it was enjoyable

There are US Navy men from NJ that are still alive and who served during WWII. Somehow, I do not know how, you occasionally see them taken to events in NJ. Some of them were in the Theatre today with their families.

Back then, our country really kicked ass and found some tremendous heroes when we needed them


Very nice. Thank you.
Just saw it with my son  
Jimmy Googs : 11/23/2019 5:20 pm : link
We enjoyed it.

Not exactly Academy Award winning script/lines but the movie trucked along just fine. Good battle scenes and special effects..just enough dialogue. Good mix between Japanese point of view vs Americans. Stayed true to how the battle was won based on some good mix of intelligence, fortunate timing of events on side of USA, and even some luck.

I tell you what though...you were a brave son-of-a-bitch to be a torpedo or dive bomber in WWII.

Thank all the veterans you know for their service!
Just saw  
mitch300 : 11/23/2019 6:41 pm : link
It with the wife. Really enjoyed. It is amazing how courageous they were.
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