BLS staff caught an advance screening of the 9/11 film that opened the Tribeca Film Festival

Ilya: U there? What did you think of utd 93?
jim: hey, oh my god, it was so hard to watch
but a very well-made film
Ilya: I thought it was really well done....And that we could post our thoughts on the blog
jim: i agree
would you recommend it to someone?
Ilya: DEFINITELY. But my friend who I saw it with asked me the question with the expectation that I'd say, Probably not.....interesting
jim: i'm torn. it was so draining to watch, but I'd be very reluctant to tell someone they just have to see it
Ilya: It's true, and what's so disturbing is that it wasn't extraordinarily violent, it was really the commandeering of the plane by the terrorists, and their craziness, that made it horrifying.
jim: thought it the simple details that took up so much of the film before the action on the plane was the most tense.
it was so mundane and with that faux-documentary handheld camera and with no music for a good 20 minutes or so
Ilya:and I really liked the fact that they didn't focus too closely on any particular characters, whether passengers, hijackers, or air traffic controllers. So restrained.
jim: yes, and the military. and the officials all seemed competent in their own right, but the fact that they were acting in isolation was damning
Ilya: it definitely seemed like an understated condemnation of the admin, and the bureaucracy that couldn't swing into action fast enough.
gonna step away to get some brecko....you could post our IMs even if you're looking for something....talk to you soon!

Posted by leboheme at 12:38 PM