the chutry experiment

I'm seeing it tomorrow, and yet I feel like I could already write a review of the film. I know that it will be harrowing and very difficult to watch, and that its lack of politics will itself make a statement. Like you say, I can't imagine that it will necessarily add anything to the conversation (unless it becomes accepted as fact, which would only happen if it were a box office phenomenon).

I'm guessing that its value will be of a personal sort; forcing people to relive the events, to recall their feelings from the day itself. It may not be necessary, in other words, but it may be useful. I'm looking forward to objectively examining its subjective effect on me, as best as I can.

That's a really interesting read, and I think you probably *could* write a review without seeing the film. Watching was surprisingly painful, and I felt incredibly tense afterwards. The audience where I saw the movie was almost completely silent afterwards, except for a small number of people who were crying. In this sense, the film seemed to focus on "forcing the audience to relive" that day (this may have added to the weird dissonance for me--I saw none of the 9/11 events live on TV because I had no TV reception at the time).

From what I can observe, audiences have generally chosen to stay away from the film. While it will likely turn a profit--it has made $11 million towards a $15 million budget--United 93 hardly felt like a definitive national (or international) depiction of September 11 or even that particular hijacking. It makes me wonder if any cultural text can take on that role. Are we too fragmented politically, socially, etc? Or more likely, has cinema lost its cultural centrality because of the vast array of media and because of film's smaller audiences, especially in theaters?

I'll be interested to see what you have to say about the film. I thought about subtitling this review "notes towards a non-review," because I'm still not sure I've managed to describe my experience of watching it in any kind of adequate way.

United 93
What can be said of the movie but it compels you to think of.. is there a voice for Muslims out there. This fictionalized docu-drama (which is portrayed as blatant truth) would do much harm than good in a world full of chaotic confusion and conspiracy theories. The movie begins with the backdrop of Quranic verses and the terrorists are portrayed as fervent blinded followers of a satanic doctrine which motivates them to bomb passenger carriers across U.S as their zealous offering towards the end ( if not spelled out the undertone does exactly the same). The graphic details although the studio proclaims were based on the telephone conversation the deceased had with their loved ones; inasmuch Hollywood gimmickry depicted makes you think as if the director was their in person on this ill fated flight!!!! WHY? Is the question emerged in my mind as I was sitting in the theatre, in a painful world today where there is a dire need of caution to vent out bitter truth should half truth be echoed. The portrayal of Islam as a faith in the movie would make any half literate of the faith feel confounded and in two minds leave alone western audience to whom the alienation of Islam horrifies already. My attempt is no way to defend the perpetrators of the satanic act on humanity, but the fact remains there are a lot more socio-political equations behind the tragedy , and the graphic portrayal (fictionalized even partly) without comprehending the totality of related issues would only widen the gap between Islam and West.

Shariq, I think you're right that the film should have presented Islam in a far more nuanced fashion, and that has been my objection to United 93 ever since the film project was announced. I think there are some more subtle films out there, such as The Road to Guantanamo, but one has to wonder what kinds of audiences both films have received or will receive.

Well I happened to be one of the audiences of this quite painful saga of Tipton 'lads i.e The road to Guintanamo. The subject in my view has been quite "juiced out" if I may say so, from Army translators to privates who claiming post Vietnam like hallucinations (remember Eric Saar—behind the wires) after their duty stints at this human disgrace workshop in Cuba were moved to fill in their personal diaries of painful recalls ….and obviously being penny wise compelled to make them available for a price on Amazon later. In terms of audiences who might watch these contemporary flicks around man made disaster (man in this case our good ole Dubya!!) I think both people who are inquisitively puzzled about the faith of “ beards and veils” as media portrays Islam and also Muslims who might see themselves victimised in some shape or form with the current (quite debatable )“war of civilisations” would que up at the ticket counters. RT Guintanamo ironically affirms what is currently happening in the Lebanese genocide that is you have a fair chance of meeting justice should you hold western passport , nothing to worry warships and planes will come to take you home, and even Zionists would halt their armoury for a while in order for your safe haven ..and who cares about the foreign leftovers who were not fortunate to have dual western citizenship . Guintanamo shows after the grilling and must say sorry over deal of Tipton lads. they find themselves being referred as KINGS and treated on to pizzas and sodas courtesy US Army (that is after being given clean chit from UK home office to appease pressure groups and relatives of these young men) and finally sent back home ..While the other unfortunates (who again did had any allegiance to west, passports precisely) still being made captive. I think this again is an attempt to say truth but a half hearted one, should the producers of Film Four really wanted to put the point objectively across, at least one out of the many suicides committed in these horror cells would have found a mention in this so called documentary….. just makes you think isn’t documentary based on facts!!!!!!