Top Ten Movies for Veterans Day

1)Apocalypse Now (1979)

Set in Vietnam , Captain Willard is sent to go find a soldier that has setup his own military camp deep in the jungle . The soldier is Captain Kurtz and he is bit insane . This movie has great photography and brings you into a deep dark place the jungles of Vietnam and the horror of this terrible war. Very dramatic and gruesome, not for anyone with weak stomach. Captain Willard is sent to stop this terror in the jungle at all costs.

2) U-571 (2000)

U-571 is set in World War II in the battles over the Atlantic ocean . Between German U-boats and American submarine. There mission is capture a German U-boat and steal its Enigma machine. In hopes of cracking the Enigma code for allied fleets, to help stop the German Navy. I love this film. Every time I see it on cable, I watch it.
Maybe its just submarine movies, but especially this one. You will get caught up with the turmoil and problems the crew faces; just trying to keep the Enigma Machine intact . To guarantee the war for the American and British Navy for safe passage over the ocean seas.

3)Enemy at the Gates (2001)

Vassili Zaitsev, a Russian farmer has been sent to the front to fight against the German Army in the city of Stalingrad. He is glorified by a war journalist, as a hero for all Russian soldiers and the country to believe in. A German sniper is sent to kill him, and destroy what hopes the Russia has left. Based partially on a true story , Vassili Zaitsev was a Russian Sniper used for propaganda. The rest I am not to sure about , otherwise a great movie none the less.

4)Hamburger Hill (1987)

A Vietnam war film based upon the attack of hill 937, nicknamed Hamburger Hill. The Vietnam war was fought numerous battles over hills constantly that really didnt matter to anyone except officers, in the rear with the gear. Shows how pointless sometimes war can be. War is fought by soldiers giving their all, even for the most pointless of objectives. Great movie , but pretty graphic. Shows how much suffering some soldiers had to go through in the front lines of Vietnam. True story.

5) Zulu (1964)

Zulu, a film set in the colonial British era about the Battle of Yorks Drift. Based on a true story of 150 British soldier defending a asmall outpost in the middle of Africa, against 5000 Zulu warriors. Starring Micheal Caine as Lt. Gonville Bromhead, one of two commanders to take on the defense.The most Victoria Crosses given in any battle ever. For anyone that doesn’t know it is like getting a Medal of Honor in America. Great movie one of my all time favorites.

6)Glory (1989)

Starring Mathew Broderick, Denzel Washington, and Morgan Freeman, all-star cast I would say. Tells the story of the first black regiments brought together to fight during the Civil War fo the north. It shows that even though these men were slaves, they would fight for America with everything they got. No matter what difficulties were put in their way.

7)Blackhawk Down (2001)

Blackhawk Down is set in the early 1990′s during the Clinton era. Where special forces troops were sent into war torn Somalia to help rescue soldiers trapped in Mogadishu in a crashed helicopter. Its a battle between U.S. military forces against, a Somali Warlord and rebel army. There is plenty of action in this film, because the highly dangerous urban warfare filmed.

8)Guns of Navarone (1961)

A small group of soldiers is sent to take out the Guns of Navarone. These gigantic guns were making it impossible for the escape of British soldiers, while controlling the waters off of Navorone. This small strike force must succeed, or 2000 troops will be captured with no escape from Axis soldiers.

9)M.A.S.H (1970)

Not every movie has to big bloody battle. M.A.S.H is a drama/comedy based on group of doctors and personal in the Korean war. Who use any way they can to keep sane in long drawn out war faced with nothing but the carnage of the operating table. After the movie it lead to one of the most popular longest running T.V. shows ever, starring the 4077th medivac hospital.

10)Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

One of two movies directed by Clint Eastwood, spotlighting a different perspecive of World War II. From the eyes of Japanese soldiers defending the Island of Iwo Jima. This was a very significant battle during World War II, for both sides. The Japanese soldiers are faced against insurmountable odds of American Troops, making a landing by sea; with no reinforcements in sight to come help them. Very interesting point of view, to the see the battle from the other side of the coin.

11)Band of Brothers (2001)

For anyone that has loads of time, and do not mind watching a bunch of long episodes. HBO’s series Band of Brothers is extremely entertaining and enthralling true story of Easy company of the 101st airborne. From the landing on the coast of France to marching all the way to Hitler’s mountain fortress. A great series that everyone should see. I know this is a T.V. series but I just had to mention it . It contains narration of remaining living soldiers of Easy Company and their experiences of the war.

I couldn’t mention every War film that I love , but I got it down to Ten, well 11. I am sure there many other movies like, Thin Red Line, Saving Private Ryan, Tora, Tora, Tora or even Pearl Harbor. Besides, I thought they would be too cliche.

(Or, How Many Times Can I Type the Term “Sell-out”?)

Directed by:

Robert Weide

Writers:

Peter Straughan
Toby Young

Starring:

Simon Pegg
Megan Fox
Jeff Bridges
Kirsten Dunst

The seven degrees of sycophantic sell-out culture (say that five times fast)!  That’s the theme that gets hammered into your seat in this adaptation of the book by Toby  Young.

Simon Pegg stars as a snarky “journalist” at a small-time anti-cool rag.  He gets the job offer of a lifetime from the editor (Jeff Bridges) of Sharps; a Vanity Fair style magazine with glossy covers of glamorous celebrities with even glossier articles inside.  He spends the first couple of months in the “first room” offending their #1client (Gillian Anderson) and irritating his pretty coworker (Kirsten Dunst) who he admires and argues with at the same time. The typical workplace political 2-step ensues as he gets his ideas stolen, sniffs out an affair, and clams up in the case of the missing Chihuahua.  He then finds a reason to drink the celebrity kool-aid and convinces himself that if everyone else is a sell-out, why not him?

You may feel a pang in your stomach reminiscent of your first real job where you had to negotiate office politics, to lose a teeny-weeny bit of yourself or be jobless and alone with your principles.  However, as poignant as the movie starts, the real joke is that the story, which starts as satire, devolves into the most obvious sell-out script device: a romantic comedy with a happy ending.  They even do that fake commercial/movie trailer during the ending credits everyone is doing now – Oh, the irony!

Seriously though, it’s a good movie.  Jeff Bridges is great – he just eats up the screen.  I also think it will be a good step for Mr. Pegg into getting more noticeable work.  I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of him.

Oh, and Happy Birthday Vanity Fair

Official Website www.how2losefriends.com

Director:

John Erick Dowdle

Writers:

John Erick Dowdle
Drew Dowdle

Starring:

Jennifer Carpenter
Steve Harris
Jay Hernandez
Jeannie Epper
Rade Serbedzija
Dania Ramirez

Quote:

Put the light on me !!!

The movie Quarantine starring Jennifer Carpenter from the hit TV series Dexter on Showtime is actually rather good. I was surprised as far as horror movies go and was kept in suspense thought most the film. Yes things are going to jump out of you in the dark and start chasing people. The whole film is shot from the first person perspective with Jennifer Carpenter, playing a TV news reporter being followed around by her camera man played by Steve Harris ,on an emergency call with the local Los Angles fire department. They end up going to a building on a call where people have reported a horrible scream coming from one of the upstairs apartments where Mrs. Espinoza lives. When they go to check her out she ends up attacking one the police officers . They pin down Mrs. Espinoza and rush him down stairs only to see that they have been locked in from the outside and unable to escape.Well all the people inside start to panic trying to escape the building because they have no idea why they have been locked in the first place. Jennifer Carpenter plays a great panicked woman through out the film , it might seem a little cheesy now and then but, I hardly think anyone wouldn’t be a little frantic with the circumstances she has been put in . Dark lighting and constant chaos make this a great film to see for Halloween.