Do not let wives or girlfriends see this movie......

"I agree! Too much TV, too much Adam Sandler, Friends and Two and a Half Men, it seems like.

The widely held American belief that women are morons makes me vomit."

The people I know who are into those shows are women.

"Hey baby, it's okay!"

I never understood going for a date to the movies anyway...sitting in the dark next to someone...doesnt seem like a great way to get to know someone. I guess this movie gives you something to talk about after. has some good explosions....

wallflower88-

From the original post:
"My girlfriend fell asleep 1/2 way through the movie. I also saw about a dozen walked out of the theatre. It's not that the movie was bad. Well, to them, it was. But to me, it's the shifting perspective that makes the movie confusing. I've seen it three times now just to make sense out of all the characters and how they lend into the movie. It's more than just a movie about corruption and oil.

But for those that want to rent this movie to see it with the wife/girlfriend, I suggest you rent "Ocean's 11" or something else."


The comment is blatantly sexist. The OP states his belief that women don't/can't enjoy a film like Syriana because of it's intellectual complexity, suggesting something like Ocean's 11 is better for girlfriends/wives. As I stated in my response, if his point was specifically about Syriana not being a good date movie, there's no need to frame it with a 'women don't get it' argument.

Anyone old enough to date is old enough to know better than to rely on sexist stereotypes. Likewise, anyone posting in a public forum can reasonably expect to have their points debated. The whole point of writing anything here is to encourage discussion & debate.

Calling out the OP on the sexist content of his posting is fair game, and no matter of your personal feelings on the matter no apology is warranted. I even gave him the benefit of the doubt that maybe the misogynist slant was unintentional. Incidentally, assuming all women are intellectually inferior absolutely qualifies as misogyny- or do you think categorizing a people in this way shows love & respect?

You can try to silence debate all you want, but frankly, if differing points of view upset you so much it's probably a better idea to just stop visiting public discussion boards.

Incidentally, a little ironic isn't it that you 1- make particular assumptions about my character, then 2- attack me for the assumptions you believe I've made about someone else? Frankly, it's obvious you didn't really read my post (eg, the part where I was clear that the sexist content may not have been intended) and instead rushed to attack me in a response as one of those "uptight" women who "will crack at anything that even slightly hints the sheeeer possibility of a "mysogynist" [sic] comment." Maybe next time take your own advice: "Chillll." At the very least I recommend re-reading the comments you're responding to before rushing to post.

rw-aryan666-

My original post was a direct response to the OP, calling him out on his sexist assumption that a movie as intellectually complex as Syriana is beyond the understanding or interest of women. I'd be very interested to hear why you feel pointing out a blatant example of sexism can only be due to insecurity. Let's look at another scenario: say a post appears which states that you shouldn't take any Chinese person to see a film like Syriana, because Chinese people will be bored by such an intellectual drama and would be much happier if you bought them a ticket to whatever kung fu movie is playing instead. If someone were to refute that assumption by pointing out that it's grounded in a racist stereotype and that being Chinese hardly predicts one's intellectual abilities or taste in movies, by your logic that person must simply be insecure. Why else would they protest? I would suggest they might protest because they take justified offense to an offensive statement.

We're not talking about a simple comment like "Sex and the City seems more popular with the ladies." The OP's message was that women are not as intellectually capable as men. A desire to refute such an offensive and ignorant statement hardly grows out of "insecurity." I hope this makes sense to you.

I'm assuming the majority of your post is actually intended to read as somewhat tongue-in-cheek. I trust you don't actually believe that sexist insults are harmless fun, or that a person's gender is in any way an accurate predictor of their abilities and taste in movies. If I've misread your tone, then we'll just have to agree to disagree.

I am SO glad you said that. Yes, boring, boring, boring. I gave it a 2 out of 10. It looked like it tried too hard to be "meaningful," but failed miserably.

Well,

I know women who are probably capable of "getting" this film, as well as I, or you...as well as "us," fellas.

That being said, SYRIANA is, without question, a "head" film, and one for informed, modernist types, and a good degree of education on the Middle East as a region and its history for the past hundred years is quite invaluable in enjoying the full effect, if you can call it enjoyment (and I really DID enjoy this film). There's no reason any woman wouldn't qualify, or be up to the test of what this fine piece of modern cinema offers the viewer! But...

It's also a Guy Film, along the lines of most Tarantino films, the "great" Scorsese films, and any-and-all James Bond films that we might deem Necessary Viewing...as well as THE USUAL SUSPECTS, TRAINING DAY, and PATTON. You could, theoretically, include anything Clint Eastwood has done/acted in before '03 in this list, as well as BRIAN'S SONG and MY BODYGUARD. Um...do we need to make a list, here?

Needless to say, SYRIANA may be the best, most well-conceived Guy Film known to man--or at least, the best one of the new millenium. Right?


Okay,
Bobbo

"Only a fool would say that." --STEELY DAN

cheeeez the dude was right for saying girlfriends shouldnt watch this - the death of that boy was symbolic, it should not be accepted as some kind of tragedy or dramatic sequence...