You left out the words "mind numbingly boring" from your title. Or maybe, "how many times can the word 'train' be used in a single movie trailer"?

This movie is going to be bad. Which makes me happy!

I say this as an ex-Ayn Rand fan.

I can't wait for Atlas Shrugged part 2: The John Galt Speech (223 min, PG)

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag.(show it anyway)

Looks like a TV movie

Exactly what I was thinking Dag.

Doesn't look very good, and besides Atlas Shrugged is the bible of people who consider themselves to be god's gift to earth and don't give a shit about society as long as they have it ok.

I'm looking forward to seeing what all the hubbub is about.

Nice double entendre with the "train wreck" tag there, netrunner.

Found this review of the first 10 minutes for anyone that's interested
http://www.theatlasphere.com/columns/101208-gleaves-atlas-preview.php

This is going to be big! 'Battlefield Earth' big!

If only Dan LaFontaine was still alive...

Well, this isn't Hollywood. It's a small-budget movie made by a "studio" formed FOR the movie.

And I don't see why Atlas Shrugged gets so much attention. Fountainhead is thematically very similar but a far better read (mostly because of the length).

I read both books twice...I like Atlas Shrugged because I like the idea of quitting and watching the world burn down around me. I also like the idea of a sanctuary no one else can go to. It was a pretty cool book and there are some lessons in there for personal betterment such as looking at the world objectively and simply moving forward with the information you have. However if you wanted to build or maintain a society it's obviously not going to work and everyone can see that.

Agreed. I read the Fountainhead in my impressionable college years and thought it was the best thing ever. I read it twice and bought extra copies to give to people. Then I read Anthem and realized 2 things: 1) These books are shallow political manifestos (duh!) and 2) Ayn Rand is horrible at sci-fi. Then I started Atlas Shrugged, and it was the exact same book as the Fountainhead and Anthem, just with different characters.... then I got to the John Galt Speech, which is a needless reiteration of the politics of the Fountainhead, Anthem and all of the narrative in Atlas Shrugged leading up to the speech. It's also some of the most dead boring text ever committed to print. I think I got about 20 pages into the 60+ page speech when I decided: fuck this book and fuck Ayn Rand.

Set aside the goofball politics and Fountainhead is a decent trashy romance novel. Sadly, the greatest lesson I took from the Fountainhead is that indifference can be a powerful tool for manipulating people. Evil, but true. Yes, I was an asshole in my Ayn Rand phase, even more of an asshole than I am now.

Why do liberals hate Ayn Rand so much? I can't speak for all liberals, but for me, the fact that I was sucked into it - and felt actual euphoria as Ayn Rand's selfish darkness pulsed through my veins - gave me firsthand knowledge of how evil people are able to glorify themselves and justify their actions.

>> ^PHJF:

Well, this isn't Hollywood. It's a small-budget movie made by a "studio" formed FOR the movie.
And I don't see why Atlas Shrugged gets so much attention. Fountainhead is thematically very similar but a far better read (mostly because of the length).

Seems like an important distinction to me. I would not be shocked if there were some SERIOUS tea party money behind this propaganda vehicle.

>> ^PHJF:

Well, this isn't Hollywood. It's a small-budget movie made by a "studio" formed FOR the movie.
And I don't see why Atlas Shrugged gets so much attention. Fountainhead is thematically very similar but a far better read (mostly because of the length).

People who like being self-starting contributors to humankind will like any individualist movie, and people who hope society will someday better their lives instead of doing it themselves are going to find countless arguments against such movies.

If the film communicates Rand's ideas effectively, it will be its own best ally. Will Ferrell can only fart so much in counterpoint.

I'd love to see a real-life scene of government fatasses sitting all the Hollywood bigshots down in one room and accusing them of wanting to make too much money.

Ayn Rands philosophy might actually work if every human being on the planet was an only child and both parents were either dead or emotionally removed. Once you get a call from your sister and she tells you to come over so she can cry on your shoulder, you realize the key to happiness in life: You can never be truly happy while those around you suffer. Ever.

Sorry Ayn, thems the rules.

Edit: Wrote this drunk. To clarify, I find her work suspiciously lacking in siblings and family dynamic. It's telling to me because a large part of my personal barometer is based on my family in which I find great joy. I've always found her characters treating the natural desire to belong with contempt, treating it as a weakness that should be fought against and using isolation like a self imposed punishment, (or indulgence if you like), to steel their resolve. It's ok to do that, I guess, but even with your own family?? Seems like repression to me, and that smacks of religion.

But her concept of individualism is so narrow and exclusive. It's neocon, FOX news, classist, selfish individualism. Selfish individualism is nothing to strive for. All the great tyrants of history were selfish individualists. Define individualism for yourself. Ayn Rand is dead. >> ^chilaxe:

People who like being self-starting contributors to humankind will like any individualist movie, and people who hope society will someday better their lives instead of doing it themselves are going to find countless arguments against such movies.

>> ^chilaxe:

People who like being self-starting contributors to humankind will like any individualist movie, and people who hope society will someday better their lives instead of doing it themselves are going to find countless arguments against such movies.


Boom goes the dynamite! [APPLAUSE]

Atlas Shrugged is a thoroughly enjoyable novel as long as you understand that it is a trashy romance novel for the extreme libertarian.

When you read it from that perspective it is a very interesting book. It also explains why some people are so frightened of socialism and communism (which they can't seem to distinguish). Perhaps those views aren't justified, but they're understandable to me because I read that book.

Just skip the huge speech, and try to forget the fact that the heroes are all strong beautiful geniuses. There is some inspiring stuff in there amidst the bullshit politi-fantasy.

The same thing goes for The Fountainhead. If I had read that in high school, I'd probably be an architect today.

For those interested:
http://videosift.com/video/Ayn-Rand-Interview-Part-1-of-5

*books

Adding video to channels (Books) - requested by kronosposeidon.

at 1:10 isn't that Quark?

Because being selfish is cool!

>> ^mxxcon:

at 1:10 isn't that Quark?


Yes, it is. Love that guy!

How appropriate that the guy who played Quark is in a movie that deals with making money.

As for self-starting vs. hoping society will make your life better...it's not really about that. It's about "what's a fair start?". You can't tell me that someone who inherits a ton of money has just as hard a time "self-starting" as someone who inherits nothing or starts life in an impoverished state or living in a house with lead paint.

It's about whether you believe you deserve your start in life (whatever it may be). It's a nature vs. nurture argument. Libertarians tend to discount nurture and the inherent differences between the way people begin their lives. Children are not tiny humans. Their brains don't work correctly unless they're shaped by experience and environment. "Life isn't fair" is not a counter-argument to this inherent unfairness that exists in the world. Because we have the capacity to do something about this type of unfairness, we must consider it. Whether or not we should actually act on it, well, most of you who will bother posting have already made that choice.

This soap opera has decent graphics.

I can't fucking wait to pirate this movie!!!!!!!