bono-vox
Rock n' Roll Doggie
I've never seen it...is it worth watching?
What is it about?
Is it a weepy?
Thank you
What is it about?
Is it a weepy?
Thank you
Whats Million Dollar Hotel like?
- Thread starter bono-vox
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
martha
Blue Crack Supplier
It sucks so bad! It took me three days to get through the damn thing. I was so embarrassed when my husband would walk through because it's such a bad accident! Oh my lord! I suppose you must watch it to know what the references are here, but holy shit, be prepared for a tedious few hours! Some here will rip me a new one for hating it so, but it really does suck.
bono-vox
Rock n' Roll Doggie
lol martha you really dont like that movie lol a lotta ppl have said it isnt up to much
I *just now* got done watching M$H and then I check out what's up at Interference and this thread is up. WEIRD!
I agree with martha. It's pretty dull. I usually never have trouble watching movies, but this one took me two days to get through. (Evidently I didn't hate it as much as martha did )
I definitely would not recommend this to anyone unless they were a pretty hardcore U2 fan. However, If you're a U2 fan, I'd rent it just so you can say you said it and so that you will know what people are talking about whenever they refer to the movie.
While the movie had a few entertaining parts that were sprinkled few and far between, I'd have to agree with Mel Gibson: This movie is as boring as a dog's ass.
I agree with martha. It's pretty dull. I usually never have trouble watching movies, but this one took me two days to get through. (Evidently I didn't hate it as much as martha did
)I definitely would not recommend this to anyone unless they were a pretty hardcore U2 fan. However, If you're a U2 fan, I'd rent it just so you can say you said it and so that you will know what people are talking about whenever they refer to the movie.
While the movie had a few entertaining parts that were sprinkled few and far between, I'd have to agree with Mel Gibson: This movie is as boring as a dog's ass.
Basstrap
ONE love, blood, life
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2000
- Messages
- 10,726
Buy it.
Well if your like me and you like emotional flicks.
I was moved to tears at a couple points.
Great film
Well if your like me and you like emotional flicks.
I was moved to tears at a couple points.
Great film
meegannie
Blue Crack Addict
Basstrap said:
Are you being serious?
sulawesigirl4
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
If you have a short attention span and prefer Hollywood-ish action-filled movies, then definitely skip it. If, you want to broaden your mind and have patience, then by all means rent it. I personally found it to be very moving, atmospheric and touching and I would watch it again. 
meegannie
Blue Crack Addict
Yay! Other people really DO like it! I was hiding until I made sure I wasn't the only one.
Basstrap
ONE love, blood, life
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2000
- Messages
- 10,726
meegannie said:
Are you being serious?
yup!
tom tom and the girl did their parts soooo good. It was pretty funny at times, yet sad as well. And the beginning when first time is playing and tom tom is running off the top...wow!!
The song alone is enough to suck me into that scene
meegannie
Blue Crack Addict
Basstrap said:
I agree. That scene is beautiful. I'm a big fan of Wim Wenders anyway.
I'm really surprised other people like this movie! Yay!
Mkhay... The move is sometimes pretty boring, but I love the characters! Tom Tom is fokin gorgeous. And Peter Stormare, Milla J. are also genius. Everybody at the hotel is amazing. Well I don't really understad Mel's stuff, he's not that good, I think.
The Wanderer
Kid A
good concept, poor execution
it had some interesting moments, but for the most part it was tedious, Wenders is a brilliant filmmaker, and though it was well shot and I liked some of the things the movie was trying to say, the script-writing was quite mundane -- the film could have been brilliant but Klein's writing was inept
I do like the soundtrack, however, hearing snippets of those songs throughout the film made it tolerable (and lent it much of its aforementioned 'atmosphere')
it had some interesting moments, but for the most part it was tedious, Wenders is a brilliant filmmaker, and though it was well shot and I liked some of the things the movie was trying to say, the script-writing was quite mundane -- the film could have been brilliant but Klein's writing was inept
I do like the soundtrack, however, hearing snippets of those songs throughout the film made it tolerable (and lent it much of its aforementioned 'atmosphere')
deep
Blue Crack Addict
The movie is fine.
I think it just comes down to expectations.
Expect The Thousand Dollar Motel and you'll be o. k.
I think it just comes down to expectations.
Expect The Thousand Dollar Motel and you'll be o. k.
u2elevatejo
The Fly
This is my 2nd post - woo hoo, anyho..
I thought the film was very good. I wrote an article to do with it some time ago, never thought about getting it online. Hang on..
k, if ya wanna read it here it is, if not, don't worry
The Million Dollar Hotel: Do you mind?
By Jo Whitby
It became clear to me, way before the release of the Million Dollar Hotel, that in some form or another the English press would have a problem with the film. The idea that a rock star, Bono in particular, could actually make a decent film scared the hell out of them and they immediately put up a barrier holding their prejudices in one hand and waving goodbye to any hopes of the film being successful with the other. The fact that the film was actually incredibly good didn?t seem to stop the hurtful and insulting reviews from pouring in prior to the films release.
Okay, so maybe some people didn?t like the film, everyone has a right to their own opinions. It was just a bit discouraging to find that a few reviewers thought it would be nice if they not only put the film down but also discriminated against people with mental health problems . Now, the bad reviews I can deal with, but it really took the biscuit when they started insulting my integrity??..
The Million Dollar Hotel is described as ?a disfunctional love story?.a fable about the power of love? which to my mind is only part of the meaning. Intentional or not, the MDH is an insight into the lives of people with mental health problems, the most truthful interpretation I?ve seen in a long time but a truth that the critics and the public do not want to subscribe to.
?It?s a shock? says Bono in a recent interview ?but in the late 80?s in America you could still starve. Reagan closed down a lot of these mental hospitals and hence some of the clientele at the MDH were in fact outpatients from mental hospitals. That?s when I discovered them in 1988?. The alarming thing is that the MDH is still being used as a ?hostel? for these people 10 to 12 years on. The mental health system is in the same state it was in 1988, a total mess.
There is a lot of prejudice around mental illness at the moment and the press are making it extremely difficult to combat. It?s a fact that one in four people will suffer from a form of mental illness in their lifetime, be it depression or schizophrenia, to name but a few. It is a serious illness and one that should not be mocked.
Let?s get back to the film. So what is it that?s made me hot under the collar? When critics use language like: ?Some of the most annoying outcast, misfits and nutters ever recorded on celluloid? and ?drooling clich?s of the irritating freak variety? not to mention words like ?nutter?, retard? and ?loon?. It?s words and phrases like these which makes it incredibly difficult for people with mental illness to gain any control over their lives. It?s disempowering and dispiriting.
We know that the film includes words such as ?retard? and ?freak? but what would be the point of a film about the lives of people with mental illness if you didn?t include the prejudices. The MDH deals with this head on, perhaps that is what the critics don't like. Having seen people with various forms of the illness myself the portrayal of the characters in the film are very true to life. Especially characters like Tom Tom (played by Jeremy Davies) and Eloise (played by Milla Jovovich). I couldn?t believe how well these parts were acted and yet the film still came under attack from the press.
Perhaps the film would have been better received in a local art house, who knows. What we do know is that although the film was not a success in terms of profit it did open a lot of peoples minds, it made them think.
So in the end Bono and Wim Wenders did achieve something after all.
There we go.
Jo
I thought the film was very good. I wrote an article to do with it some time ago, never thought about getting it online. Hang on..
k, if ya wanna read it here it is, if not, don't worry
The Million Dollar Hotel: Do you mind?
By Jo Whitby
It became clear to me, way before the release of the Million Dollar Hotel, that in some form or another the English press would have a problem with the film. The idea that a rock star, Bono in particular, could actually make a decent film scared the hell out of them and they immediately put up a barrier holding their prejudices in one hand and waving goodbye to any hopes of the film being successful with the other. The fact that the film was actually incredibly good didn?t seem to stop the hurtful and insulting reviews from pouring in prior to the films release.
Okay, so maybe some people didn?t like the film, everyone has a right to their own opinions. It was just a bit discouraging to find that a few reviewers thought it would be nice if they not only put the film down but also discriminated against people with mental health problems . Now, the bad reviews I can deal with, but it really took the biscuit when they started insulting my integrity??..
The Million Dollar Hotel is described as ?a disfunctional love story?.a fable about the power of love? which to my mind is only part of the meaning. Intentional or not, the MDH is an insight into the lives of people with mental health problems, the most truthful interpretation I?ve seen in a long time but a truth that the critics and the public do not want to subscribe to.
?It?s a shock? says Bono in a recent interview ?but in the late 80?s in America you could still starve. Reagan closed down a lot of these mental hospitals and hence some of the clientele at the MDH were in fact outpatients from mental hospitals. That?s when I discovered them in 1988?. The alarming thing is that the MDH is still being used as a ?hostel? for these people 10 to 12 years on. The mental health system is in the same state it was in 1988, a total mess.
There is a lot of prejudice around mental illness at the moment and the press are making it extremely difficult to combat. It?s a fact that one in four people will suffer from a form of mental illness in their lifetime, be it depression or schizophrenia, to name but a few. It is a serious illness and one that should not be mocked.
Let?s get back to the film. So what is it that?s made me hot under the collar? When critics use language like: ?Some of the most annoying outcast, misfits and nutters ever recorded on celluloid? and ?drooling clich?s of the irritating freak variety? not to mention words like ?nutter?, retard? and ?loon?. It?s words and phrases like these which makes it incredibly difficult for people with mental illness to gain any control over their lives. It?s disempowering and dispiriting.
We know that the film includes words such as ?retard? and ?freak? but what would be the point of a film about the lives of people with mental illness if you didn?t include the prejudices. The MDH deals with this head on, perhaps that is what the critics don't like. Having seen people with various forms of the illness myself the portrayal of the characters in the film are very true to life. Especially characters like Tom Tom (played by Jeremy Davies) and Eloise (played by Milla Jovovich). I couldn?t believe how well these parts were acted and yet the film still came under attack from the press.
Perhaps the film would have been better received in a local art house, who knows. What we do know is that although the film was not a success in terms of profit it did open a lot of peoples minds, it made them think.
So in the end Bono and Wim Wenders did achieve something after all.
There we go.
Jo
deep
Blue Crack Addict
thanks Jo,
For a thoughtful and accurate review.
For a thoughtful and accurate review.
follower
Refugee
sulawesigirl4 said:If you have a short attention span and prefer Hollywood-ish action-filled movies, then definitely skip it. If, you want to broaden your mind and have patience, then by all means rent it. I personally found it to be very moving, atmospheric and touching and I would watch it again.
I second sula?s words. Give it a chance and rent it.
Tech
War Child
I must say that the movie is slow; really slow for me. I agree that it has it's moments, but overall it was boring. Luckily I just watched it on HBO last week, so I didn't have to rent it!! 
SkeeK
The Original, Rock n' Roll Doggie, VIP PASS
I liked it but I know for sure it won't be to everyone's taste, so i recommend a rental.
That was a fabulous article Jo! Thanks for posting.
That was a fabulous article Jo! Thanks for posting.
wertsie
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
hehehe...I own the DVD, but I just haven't been in the mood to sit down and watch it. I've gotten about 20 minutes in but it just doesn't seem to hold my interest...But I have to say that the soundtrack kicks ass!
u2elevatejo
The Fly
kariatari said:
Are you the same Jo Whitby that does the Ach-toon baby cartoons at atu2.com? If so, I love your work!
Yep, thats me. Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my cartoons!!!
I'm also pleased that my article got a good response.
Thanks again!!Jo
bono-vox
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Jo loved your review too ...I think im gonna go rent it now....thanks everyone
...I think im gonna go rent it now....thanks everyone 
HeartlandGirl
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I strongly disliked MDH. The characters have bizarre pasts and are extremely eccentric, but nothing in the film made me care about them. At the end of the film, they were still just a bunch of strange people. They were almost so weird that I felt the movie was trying too hard to make them really out there--so out there that I couldn't relate or empathize at all.
I guess U2 fans should rent it and give it a shot, but I wouldn't watch it again.
Edit: I just now saw Jo's review after writing my post. I don't think I even realized that all of the characters had severe mental illnesses. I did get that about some, but not all. Hmmm...I still think the movie isn't that great...
I guess U2 fans should rent it and give it a shot, but I wouldn't watch it again.
Edit: I just now saw Jo's review after writing my post. I don't think I even realized that all of the characters had severe mental illnesses. I did get that about some, but not all. Hmmm...I still think the movie isn't that great...
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I personally really liked the movie. It was definately weird , but I found it interesting. Sure it had it's dull moments, but I really loved the interaction and growing love story between TomTom and Mila's character.
If any of you get the chance to watch the 'One Dollar Diary' then do! It gives you a real insight into Wim Wenders and what he wanted to achieve as a director. It made me appreciate the movie even more.
If anything, Bono's cameo is pretty fun.
If any of you get the chance to watch the 'One Dollar Diary' then do! It gives you a real insight into Wim Wenders and what he wanted to achieve as a director. It made me appreciate the movie even more.
If anything, Bono's cameo is pretty fun.
bono-vox
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Is it a weird film like American Beauty weird cus i love that film...i think im gonna get my pal and rent this out lol...well ill force her into watching it....i know shes reading this now
Johnny Swallow
Bad Daddy Johnny
Mel Gibson was right on when he said 'it's as boring as a dog's ass.'
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