it was fun to watch and kind of intense and it's sort of surprising how a matter of two feet was the difference between absolute success and not even being close.

but you'll find yourself watching tom cruise's empty sleeve to see the bad cgi that removed his hand, and a bunch of english people and americans being german but not really trying to sound german

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Is the RL character Dietrich Bonhoffer anywhere in the film?

according to imdb, no. there were a couple of scenes with about 20 guys in a room who were conspiring, so it's possible he was represented somewhere there, but he was not a character

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This movie is *exceedingly* loosely based on the actual plot in the upper echelons to kill Hitler.

And by that I mean that they acknowledge there was a plot to kill Hitler, that's about it.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

i don't know if i agree with that - sure it's quite a dramatization, but i'd imagine at least half of the details are mostly accurate

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Well okay sure...there was an Operation Valkyrie, but it wasn't to make peace with the allies or because hitler was evil.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

Fact: Hitler was a human.
Fact: Humans are mammals.
Fact: Ninjas are mammals.
Fact: Ninjas sometimes flip out and kill people.
Fact: Hitler flipped out and killed people.
Hypothesis: Hitler a ninja?
Fact: Ninjas are totally sweet.
Fact: Hitler was not totally sweet.
Result: Hitler was not a ninja.

yeah but the operation was one of hitler's for consolidation of power in the event he died... the operation in the movie (and maybe reality) was changed so the SS wouldn't be in power after and the reserve army could assume power and overthrow hitler - it didn't have anything to do with making nice with the allies and it wasn't invented to kill hitler, it was just altered so's they could do so

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_20_plot

I read the entry, based on my prior knowledge of it...seemed pretty accurate, at least to my memory. Though they kinda glossed over Rommel's suicide IMO. Actually glossed over a lot of stuff, IMO.

I haven't seen the movie, I expected it to be rather idealized/fictionalize.

There's an interesting photo at that entry, and one I don't recall having seen before, or if I have not at that resolution. The interesting thing about it is if you look at Hitler's visible ear...it has cotton in it. I presume that's due to the explosion.

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Marley and Me grossed more on Christmas Day than Valkyrie. That is utterly sad, and says a lot about the American movie viewer IMHO...

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I'd watch a movie with Jennifer Aniston cutting her toenails for 2 hours rather than Tom Cruise doing anything for 10 minutes and then handing me $500

Marley and Me is also a "date" movie, so I have no doubts that it did more on Christmas day than Valkyrie.

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World of Warcraft: Kallaystra, Gweila, Steakumn, Tarathia [ Feathermoon/Horde ]

/QFT

I'd rather bet my head against a wall for three hours than watch anything with Tom Cruise in it. He makes Jessica Simpson look like a talented actress.

Tom Cruise is a great actor.

RAAAAAAAR I AM SO MAD AT TOM CRUISE FOR ALL OF THE THINGS HE DOES NOT IN MOVIES

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Who goes to a date movie on Christmas? Isn't Christmas supposed to be, I dunno... a time for family? To get together and enjoy each other's time?

Or am I just too old school to realize that this no longer applies...

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Some husbands and wives go to date movies. If a husband and a wife were going to a movie, I am sure the wife would rather go see a feel good movie (in most cases) over a "let's kill Hitler" movie.

yeah, some people are still dating by the time Christmas rolls around...sheesh

I wonder if Hitler knew that Nazis would make big bank in our movie industry.

Nazis = Money

If it weren't for nazis, how the fuck would we be entertained?

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You are missing my point.

I am not debating whether or not Marley and Me is a date movie, and that couples go to them. What I am saying is the timing of the date. Christmas, to me, is a day for family. A day to spend together with grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, etc. Open gifts in the morning, go to Church, go to someone's house and socialize and celebrate and eat. Get home in the evening, relax and get ready for the next day.

Nowhere in this "itinerary" is there room for a movie date. I get some people do go see movies on Christmas- I am an example. Family lives 2500 miles away, was not dating anyone at the time... so I saw a film several years ago. There are people like myself out there. But I would imagine most couples are spending Christmas with their families. And the people like myself who are going to see a movie are not necessarily going to see Marley and Me, but rather we are seeing Valkyrie or Spirit or something simliar. In fact I think the movie I saw a few years ago was Alien vs Predator which is made for single males like myself.

And again I pose the question... am I just too old school to realize that this no longer applies? That my vision of Christmas is not a standard one, but rather a rarity nowadays?

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tom cruise saves christmas by killing hitler isn't exactly a family movie, neither is strangely masked man does a lot of violent things in a movie with a bunch of big-tittied women, marley & me was arguably the most family friendly movie, as not a lot of people are willing to grant benjamin button the premise

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Am I not communicating my point effectively? Or is everyone just missing it?

Why are families going to the movies on Christmas Day?

I think they should be at home, socializing and engaging in activitites with family members on that day. It was always the tradition with my family- everyone got together at one person's house, we opened up gifts, we ate, we played games, we talked, we caught up on each other's lives, we enjoyed ourselves and had fun. Never did we even consider packing up and taking a trip to the local movie theatre for two hours of silence with each other.

Or is the family life so broken in 2008 that families would much rather be silent for two hours in a theatre instead of having a discussion with each other? And when I say silent, I am referring to the inability to have a conversation with each other...

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Your point is silly, Cicely. Plenty of families go to the movies on Christmas. It's as much as a tradition as eating turkey for some people. Why do you think so many movies are released on Christmas Day every year? Quit thinking of it as family life being broken and people being "on dates" and instead think of it as families being together. It's not about an inability to have a conversation with people. Many families are together from Christmas eve on through Christmas day and Christmas night. That's ample time for plenty of conversation, wouldn't you agree? Hell, my family gets together once every few weeks anyway, regardless of if there is a holiday or not. Again, that's ample time for us to hold conversations.

Quit assuming the worst. Quit assuming people only go to the movies as an escape from each other. Some people do it as a chance to experience things together. I love going to the movies with my dad. We used to go at least once a month on a Wednesday. Did I do it because I loved sitting next to him in silence for 2+ hours? Did I do it because I loved NOT holding conversations with him? Of course not. Expand your mind a little.

its 2 hours of entertainment, followed by countless minutes of discussion about the movie...

I will answer your question about being "old school" I would rather spend time with my family than go out to a movie with just a couple of them, but not everyone thinks like that. It isnt old school, its finding different ways to spend time off. Lots of people work so much they may not find time to go out to the theater, but have a break during the holidays. They may figure that during their vacation, they get the treat of relaxing in a dark theater to be entertained. So, I don't think I'm old fashioned because I choose to not spend time that way...I just think I'm one of the few people who choose to spend my time differently. If I was single, or had no family, I might go see a movie on Christmas day... I dunno

yeah going to a movie as a family to have a shared experience, even if it's not a good one, isn't really that outlandish of an idea. plus, if your family is anything like mine, we hang out until mid-afternoon and then are like ok well let's go do something, which could often include going to see a movie.

when i went to see this movie, it was with some friends from work, one of whose birthday it was

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Just FYI, Christmas is a romantic holiday in Japan. Don't know about other places.

ah yes finally i and my love can share a day of watching the best evangelion fansubs and eating pocky without fear of being judged by the american gaijin

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hai nanodesuyo~ binky-chan ^___________________________^

My family goes to the movies every Christmas day in the afternoon. Leaves the older folks time to do old folks stuff while us youngins are out of their hair. And every year the movie theaters are full, so I know it's not uncommon.

The Wrestler

or

Mickey Rourke bangs the hell out of a whores ass, snorts some coke and downs lots of booze then does an elbow drop off the top rope. Also Marisa Tomei has a smokin ass for a 44 year old.

yeah seriously marisa tomei is still rockin that shit

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I used to work at the movies when I was a teen, and I was surprised they were open on Christmas. I asked "Christmas is dead, no? No one comes to the movies for Christmas day" They told me it was one of the busiest days of the year for movie sales. A lot of people go to watch a movie together, and there is not much else people can do on Christmas day with their family and friends (everything being closed, and they want to get out of the house etc).

They should be doing whatever they want on that day.