The Stranger's film critic reviews Atlas Shrugged

[pscot]

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/assholes-paradise/Content?oid=7770095

The ethos that Atlas Shrugged hammers into its audience is that something is either worth doing to the absolute best of your ability or not worth doing at all. Yet a large part of the film is made up of generic stock footage, the cinematographer is more interested in the cheap rental furniture than the human beings uncomfortably sitting on it, and the wardrobe department can't seem to tie a single necktie into a proper knot. The continuity editor apparently hasn't found the time to watch the film yet: Every character rides around in the same limousine, and entire scenes consist of people sitting around tables at alleged "dinners" where no food is served, saying good-night to each other over full, untouched glasses of wine.

To call Atlas Shrugged: Part I comically inept would imply that it had a sense of humor, or that it's an entertaining wreck of a film. It's not that; it's a barely watchable conglomeration of incomplete scenes about unformed characters, and it's boring as hell to watch. It's more tragically inept, a dyslexic love letter to the first third of a bad book. It doesn't even deserve a real review, because it's not a real movie; it's just a hacked-together fairy tale for assholes.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. "A hacked-together fairy tale for assholes."

The best description I've heard yet of any of Rand's books. Not surprising that the movie would suck in the same way.

[siligut]

2. It was posted here that the right is hoping it will become their Rocky Horror type cult film

Is it bad enough to be a cult film? Now I want to see it, but will wait for the DVD, I think I would be creeped out sitting with the audience. Not that I think I could ever catch crazy-sell-outitis or anything.

[TZ]

3. A cult film has to have something happen

Apparently this movie is basically a bunch of people sitting around yammering about trains.

[siligut]

5. The right is full of wishful thinking

They make shit up.

[nolabear]

4. So people will start dressing up as 60s stereotypes and throwing bracelets at the screen?

Might do it some good.

[siligut]

6. I don't know, maybe it is just another Faux type lie to make the idiots think it has . . .

Some sort of value. I just don't know, but I read it here in teh Lounge, series.

[Ikonoklast]

8. So, what will they do for the Midnight Movie?

All dress up like selfish assholes and bore each other to death with hour-long harangues on the virtues of being a prick?

[siligut]

9. That would be expecting too much self-examination from them

Maybe just on the virtues of being better than the masses, that is the gist, I gather and it would seem that the teabaggers are already well on their way to life imitating art. So called art.

[Richardo]

13. They have Free Republic for that...

:D

[Bake]

10. Let's see ... bunch of assholes versus the TIME WARP!!!

Dammit, Janet, there's just no comparison.

The wingers have no soul, no sense of humor, much less any semblance of rhythm. I mean, it's just a jump to the right ...

Bake

[pscot]

11. True.

[dimbear]

12. It's a sensation..........like you're under sedation. n/t

[gratuitous]

7. Urge . . . to . . . see . . . schlockfest . . . rising

Aficionados of bad movies can't wait! But I don't want to contribute even one paid admission to this dreck. How long before it's available On Demand for free? It's the little touches like the identical limos and untouched glasses of wine that keep the schlockmeisters occupied. If you've ever spotted a wristwatch on a Roman legionnaire, or noticed that the prom music at a 1950s setting is the Beatles, then this could be for you!