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Weekend Movie Marathon
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/5756256767_54cc4be8da.jpg)
Memorial Day
This coming Monday is Memorial Day.... so I already decided this coming weekend I will watch some of my war/military movies. I have many in this particular genre that I never seen before... as well as several that I have. This is not really a favorite genre of mine... but I don't watch them often so I think I can get through a weekend.
Below is a list of movies I feel qualify for this marathon... the titles in Italic are in my unwatched DVD Collection. That doesn't mean I have never seen the movie... but that I haven't seen it since getting the DVD. I am bringing this topic up early so if anyone can suggest something good from my list... or is curios about a title you can request a review. I can't guarantee I will get to it this weekend... but I will try.
My War/Military Movies:
- The Adventures of Tartu
- Alexander
- Apocalypse Now
- Ariel Gunner
- Battle for Blood Island
- Battleship Potemkin
- Behind Enemy Lines
- The Big Lift
- Black Brigade
- Black Hawk Down
- Blood on the Sun
- A Bridge Too Far
- British Intellegence
- Casualties of War
- Cold Mountain
- Commandos
- Convoy
- The Dawn Express
- The Edge of Love
- Empire of the Sun
- Enemy at the Gates
- A Farewell to Arms
- The Fighting Seabees
- Flags of Our Fathers
- Flying Blind
- Flying Leathernecks
- Flying Tigers
- Forrest Gump (Adding this one as there is a nice section of the movie)
- Four in a Jeep
- Full Metal Jacket
- G.I. Jane
- The General
- Glory
- Good Morning, Vietnam
- The Green Berets
- Gung Ho!
- Hamburger Hill
- Hart's War
- Hong Kong 1941
- Identity Unknown
- In Harm's Way
- Jarhead
- The Last Chance
- The Long Voyage Home
- The Longest Day
- M*A*S*H
- Massacre at Fort Holman
- The Messenger
- Minesweeper
- The Navy Way
- One Man's Hero
- One of Our Aircraft is Missing!
- Operation Pacific
- Pearl Harbor
- Private Buckaroo
- Red Dawn
- Sands of Iwo Jima
- Saving Private Ryan
- Secret Agent
- Spitfire
- They Were Expendable
- Tigerland
- Troy
- We Were Soldiers
- Windtalkers
I think that is pretty much all of them. If I spot any more I will still be able to choose them if I feel like it.
I am also thinking I want to do a TV episode review in between each movie... to kinda brake up the movies a little. I am thinking I have 2 series that would go pretty good with this type of marathon...
- M*A*S*H
Break it up with some laughs may be a good idea for me since war movies are not a favorite genre of mine. If I decide on this... I will probably just pull out season 1 and start from the beginning.
- JAG
This one is a bit more serious... and much more military oriented. I love this show as well... so I think would still break it up well for me. If I decide on this show I will probably use season 2 since I would definitely want the episodes with Catherine Bell.
I will be starting this marathon in three days... so I will have time to decide. Any thoughts and suggestions is appreciated. But remember... no guarantees I will get to a requested movie.
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You might not like war movies because you clearly haven't watched the best one! :tease:
You must watch Apocalypse Now. It's essential. It's just about to be rereleased on a limited run next month having been remastered and I can't wait. It isn't a film, it's an experience. :thumbup:
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I just did get Apocalypse Now in that last package I got. I am looking forward to checking it out.
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I had to watch Apocalypse Now in senior year English...I didn't like it.
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It's because you had to seen it in a class... I once was force to watch La reine Margot (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110963/) for a class of french litterature and I didn't like it one bit. But I rewatch it years later and it was actually a pretty good film for a french movie...
Just to give you an idea in this same class we talked of middle age french litterature : François Villon and Chrétien de Troyes are two of the names I haven't forgot 16 years later. BTW those two did write some great texts and I learned to appreciate them many years after I had to learned them in this class.
Can you believe that some poems are always clear in my memory as if I would have learned them yesterday. Of course they were really hard to memorize in the first place :weep:
Hard to believe but sometimes I'm a real classy guy :laugh:
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Hard to believe but sometimes I'm a real classy guy :laugh:
What do you mean, sometimes? :P
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You might not like war movies because you clearly haven't watched the best one! :tease:
You must watch Apocalypse Now. It's essential. It's just about to be rereleased on a limited run next month having been remastered and I can't wait. It isn't a film, it's an experience. :thumbup:
Speaking of Apocalypse Now... when I go to watch this (for the very first time ever)... Should I watch the original version (1979 - 153 min.) or Apocalypse Now Redux (2001 - 202 Min)?
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The longer version of course ;D
Since it's the one Coppola wanted to released but it was cut by the studio. Most of the time director cut is just a gimmick but not with this film.
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:o
What? No! No no no no no! Theatrical release first. Redux is merely a curiosity and most fans of the film prefer the original cut.
I heard a great description actually. Apocalypse Now was directed by a madman in a storm of insanity and that's why it's brilliant. Redux was edited to make sense. It's good, it's worth seeing, but it's not the pure experience.
It's the one Coppola thinks he wanted to release, but he's grown too old and sensible.
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If a director tell me a film released isn't the one he wanted too I think I can trust his words on this :whistle:
This isn't like it was a film that just got out of the theatre and released on DVD with an unrated cut as a sale gimmick.
I say the exact same thing for Manhunter, The Outsiders and many other movies. The director vision is way more important for me than the one of a studio executive or a screen test audience...
Kathy your enter key was glued on your keyboard? :P
I was expecting a big surprise at the of the message :(
Edit : Tell me I ain't crazy Kathy you had a post between me and Jon no?
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I deleted my message - for some reason it had a huge white blank area and took up too much room.
I said that I would watch the theatrical version first. I generally want to view things in chronological order. Of course I would watch the other version too but not until I saw the original release.
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Jimmy, what I mean is that the making of Apocalypse Now almost killed the director and star. It was out of control and that madness fed into the picture. Coppola says now, "I wish I could...", but he says so from a comfy chair in an office, 30+ years older. His decision making is very different to being in the middle of the jungle. It isn't remotely the same for Manhunter as that, like most movies, had a fairly innocuous and normal production.
It's generally accepted that Redux is a bit bloated. Why else are they pushing the re-release of the original cut? When Blade-Runner was re-issued, it was the director's cut. But this time they've gone back to the original version. That tells you something.
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Wow! What did I start! :laugh: :tease:
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If a director tell me a film released isn't the one he wanted too I think I can trust his words on this :whistle:
Does this also go for George Lucas and the original Star Wars Trilogy? :laugh:
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No :laugh:
It's reshoot and new effects, not a different edit.
But I ain't a Star Wars fan so I never had the chance to see anything else than the 3 originals (I only know about what is in the new cut from what I've read and the review you wrote here... maybe it was Karsten :headscratch:).
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Wow! What did I start! :laugh: :tease:
Truth is, knowing your tastes, if you enjoy Apocalypse Now, you may prefer the longer version. But it's much longer and you've a better chance of enjoying the original cut. I'm bearing in mind you haven't seen many war films. And hey, it's the one everyone else was happy with for years! :-[
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Normally I agree with Jimmy, director's cut should mostly be preferred.
Usually this ranges from adding back blood and cuts which was censored out all the way to a full re-edit after the film may have been butchered by the studio (Brazil; although in Europe we apparently always saw the real thing...(?)).
There are obvioiusly be exception, like the Star Wars stuff, or Blade Runner. Yes, Blade Runner, because here the released "Director's Cut" was not made by Scott, actually, but what the studio thought what he wanted. Hence the name "Final Cut" for when he actually got to do what he wanted; despite the reshoots he merely tweaked the original, something Lucas should take an example in.
For Apocalypse Now, I am not entirely sure. It's been 25 years since I saw the theatrical and 1 or 2 years since I saw the Redux. May have to watch the original cut this weekend myself :hmmmm:
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| (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fXGoQ_T92p4/TYfeaBZLA_I/AAAAAAAAASo/fG3dqLjs3qE/s400/Battleship%2BPotemkin%2Bposter%2Bsm.jpg) | | Battleship Potemkin (1925/Former Soviet Union)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0015648) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battleship_Potemkin)
| (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png) | Total Movie & Entertainment | | Director: | Sergei M. Eisenstein, Grigori Aleksandrov | | Writing: | Nina Agadzhanova (Original Material By), Sergei M. Eisenstein (Original Material By) | | Length: | 66 min. | | Video: | Full Frame 1.33:1 | | Audio: | | | Subtitles: | |
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Stars:
Aleksandr Antonov as Grigory Vakulinchuk, Bolshevik Sail
Vladimir Barsky as Commander Golikov
Grigori Aleksandrov as Chief Officer Giliarovsky
Mikhail Gomorov as Sailor
Ivan Bobrov as Sailor
Beatrice Vitoldi as Woman with Baby Carriage
Plot:
Based on the historical events the movie tells the story of a riot at the battleship Potemkin. What started as a protest strike when the crew was given rotten meat for dinner ended in a riot. The sailors raised the red flag and tried to ignite the revolution in their home port Odessa.
Extras:
My Thoughts:
This is one of those cheap freebie movies I got in a 40 movie boxset for subscribing to the Total Movie Magazine years ago. But is one I never got around to watching. So going into it I wasn't expecting much quality wise. And there was definitely problems with the quality... there was plenty of dust and scratches on the film... there was also plenty of shaky images... but to be honest I expected worse. I mean after all... this movie is over 80 years old. This is some sort of redone film as it is a silent film... but there is a guy speaking Russian over the opening. Unfortunately I had a hard time with the subtitles on this release... as some of it was cut off at the bottom of the screen so no idea what was being said in some parts... especially towards the beginning. Plus what subtitles were shown was show pretty quickly making it hard for a slow reader like me to watch it I had to keep pausing and rewinding to see what was being said at times. I did like that this film is based in fact. Or at least that is how it seems. I never been a good history student.... though the name of the ship did always seem familiar to me. But it is definitely not depicting a good time in history. The story itself is powerful enough to keep your interest. I just wish the quality was a little better... and some of the subtitles a little slower. I would have probably been able to enjoy this story a little more then I did.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I picked this one because it was a review request at another forum. And I had it in my collection for so many years I just wanted it off my unwatched list. :P
I still haven't decided if I will watch a TV Show between the movies or not. I guess we will just see what I pick to watch next.
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Don't forget it was done after the Russian Revolution and propaganda play a large part on this one (considering there were always fight in some part of the country). Never seen it, I know it's real story since Eastern European history was part of my university corpus (but the bread crisis played a most important part in the Russian Revolution than this) but I'm far of being an expert.
Our German members (who lived in East Germany) are probably the best for demixing the propaganda from the truth.
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Blade Runner, because here the released "Director's Cut" was not made by Scott, actually, but what the studio thought what he wanted. Hence the name "Final Cut" for when he actually got to do what he wanted; despite the reshoots he merely tweaked the original, something Lucas should take an example in.
I think he did do the DC himself, he just didn't have the time to do it properly. That was one messed up release until the FC! :laugh:
Battleship Potemkin (1925/Former Soviet Union)
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Good for you for trying it, Pete. Damn shame it was clearly a poor release because it's one of the most important films ever made, from the perspective of editing at least. Why were the other forum pushing you to see it now, out of interest?
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I think mainly because he was planning on watching it soon... and wanted my opinion first. :P But that is ok... it is about military (why I have it in my list)... and been in my unwatched pile for years... was starting to get sick seeing it there! :P
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Did you recognize the stair scene, which Brian De Palma copied so famously in The Untouchables.
I have the film in a remastered version on Blu-ray, but haven't watched it yet.
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I knew it reminded me of something... but been so many years since I seen it... it didn't come to mind. :bag:
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| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/09/097360706826f.jpg) | | Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier (1979/United States)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Now_Redux)
| (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png) | Paramount Home Entertainment | | Director: | Francis Ford Coppola | | Writing: | John Milius (Writer), Francis Ford Coppola (Writer) | | Length: | 202 min. | | Video: | Anamorphic Widescreen 2.00:1 | | Audio: | English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo | | Subtitles: | English, Spanish |
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Stars:
Marlon Brando as Colonel Kurtz
Robert Duvall as Lt. Colonel Kilgore
Martin Sheen as Captain Willard
Frederic Forrest as Chef
Albert Hall as Chief
Sam Bottoms as Lance
Plot:
Two-disc Special Collector's Edition includes over two hours of bonus materials from filmmaker Francis Coppola and his American Zoetrope vault.
APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) 153 MIN.
Francis Ford Coppola's stunning vision of man's heart of darkness revealed through the madness of the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Willard receives orders to seek out a renegade military outpost led by the mysterious Colonel Kurtz. Willard's mission: "Terminate with extreme prejudice." One of the most powerful films of all time, Apocalypse Now was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two for Best Sound and Best Cinematography.
APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX (2001) 202 MIN.
The definitive version of Francis Ford Coppola's stunning vision of the heart of darkness in all of us, re-edited and remastered with 49 minutes of additional footage. Nominated for 8 Academy Awards®, this classic and compelling Vietnam War epic stars Martin Sheen as Army Lieutenant Willard, who is sent on a dangerous and mesmerizing odyssey into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade American Colonel named Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has succumbed to the horrors of war and barricaded himself in a remote outpost.
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Featurettes
- Outtakes/Bloopers
- Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
What with my first time ever seeing this movie... and with War not being one of my genres of choice I decided to go with the original theatrical cut for my first viewing. I just couldn't see sitting through almost three and a half hours at this point. right around two and a half hours is enough for the first sitting. I figured that I will go for the director's cut on the next viewing.
I have to say... this movie had me glued to the set from the very beginning. What has always been a sign of a great movie to me is if you get into a movie so intensely that it seems to be over within mere minutes of starting it. It seemed like I had just started the movie and it was time to switch over to disc two. And then before I knew it the movie was going off. It really is an excellent film. While I preferred the first half of the movie over the second half... the entire movie is just outstanding. Of course coming form me it isn't saying much... but this is definitely one of the best war movies I ever seen. The next time I am going to have to be sure to watch Apocalypse Now Redux.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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:phew: :clap:
I'm pleased you responded to it so well, Pete, especially following the hype we gave it! Like I said, I have a feeling you'll enjoy Redux just as much when you get around to it, but for now you did the right thing. :thumbup:
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Now that you've cut your teeth on this one, you might want to try The Deer Hunter. Also an excellent Viet Nam war movie!
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I have to say... this movie had me glued to the set from the very beginning. What has always been a sign of a great movie to me is if you get into a movie so intensely that it seems to be over within mere minutes of starting it. It seemed like I had just started the movie and it was time to switch over to disc two. And then before I knew it the movie was going off. It really is an excellent film. While I preferred the first half of the movie over the second half... the entire movie is just outstanding. Of course coming form me it isn't saying much... but this is definitely one of the best war movies I ever seen. The next time I am going to have to be sure to watch Apocalypse Now Redux.
I just finished watching this myself; also the theatrical cut. It's been longer than I had thought since I saw the Redux cut, four, not two years, but from what I remember I'll say this version is, obviously much tighter and to the point. The amount of pure madness that comes with war is already enough. The extended cut has more of that and I remember especially the scene with the French people to be rather tedious and overly slow, also the finale with Kurtz, already quite a change of pace as it is, is drawn out even longer.
I might see Redux again, but theatrical is clearly my preferred cut.
I watched the Full Disclosure Blu-ray, which had excellent video and awesome sound.
One major reason why I saw this today was, that I am very much looking forward to see Hearts of Darkness, probably right away tomorrow.
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Thanks for the suggestion Hal. I won't be able to watch it this weekend as I don't have that one yet... but will keep my eyes open for it. :thumbup:
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The Deer Hunter is an excellent companion piece. There's very little war stuff in it, because it's about the men, their lives and how war changes them. You could say, The Deer Hunter is about the heartbreaking emotional reality of war, Apocalypse Now embodies the psychological madness and horror, while Platoon (the only one directed by someone who was there) depicts the physical logistics of what happened to the troops cut off from their lives, fighting for a cause they don't understand and re-writing the rules.
If you add the politics of The Quiet American, these four films tell you all you need to know. Of course there are many more, but if you had to narrow it down, these are where it's at.
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Full Metal Jacket, a Vietnam war movie by Stanley Kubrick filmed in England (:laugh:) made a very strong impact on me when I first saw it and I always liked it better than Platoon.
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| (http://cdn3a.dvdempire.org/products/54/4754.jpg) | | Sands of Iwo Jima: John Wayne Collection (1949/United States)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041841) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sands_of_Iwo_Jima)
| (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png) | Spelling Entertainment Group, Artisan Home Entertainment | | Director: | Allan Dwan | | Writing: | Harry Brown (Story By), James Edward Grant (Screenwriter), Harry Brown (Screenwriter) | | Length: | 109 min. | | Video: | Full Frame 1.33:1 | | Audio: | English: Dolby Digital: Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital: Mono | | Subtitles: | English, French, Spanish |
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Stars:
John Wayne as Sgt. John M. Stryker
John Agar as Pfc. Peter Conway
Adele Mara as Allison Bromley
Forrest Tucker as Pfc. Al Thomas
Wally Cassell as Pfc. Benny Regazzi
James Brown as Pfc. Charlie Bass
Plot:
John Wayne catapulted from Hollywood leading man to All American hero with his Oscar® nominated performance as Sgt. Stryker, a hard-nosed Marine sergeant who must mold a company of raw recruits into a combat-ready fighting machine. Feared by many and hated by all, Stryker's training is soon put to the test in a full scale assault against the Japanese on Iwo Jima - an infamous battle that will live forever in one of cinema's most famous scenes, the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi.
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Feature Trailers
- Featurettes
My Thoughts:
Another one I never seen before. But I have heard it is a good one for years. I have to say that I agree it is good. It isn't nearly as intense as the last one I watched (Apocalypse Now)... but it is still a good entertaining way to waste a couple hours. I really enjoyed John Wayne in this one. It is no wonder he was nominated for an Oscar for this movie. Definitely one I would recommend.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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Agree with you Achim. It's more the first half for me, because I was in my army training when I first saw this film and everytime I felt our training was rough I was able to say that it could have been worst, we could have the Sergent Hartman as a drill instructor. That helped a lot ;D
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an infamous battle that will live forever in one of cinema's most famous scenes, the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi.
Too bad the photo was staged in real life... But of course war propaganda isn't nothing new.
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Too bad the photo was staged in real life... But of course war propaganda isn't nothing new.
Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
Full Metal Jacket, a Vietnam war movie by Stanley Kubrick filmed in England (:laugh:) made a very strong impact on me when I first saw it and I always liked it better than Platoon.
I like FMJ, but it falls into the trap of a lot Kubrick material for me, in that it lacks personality. It almost feels satirical. In many ways it is a better film than Platoon, but I do feel Oliver Stone's experience benefits the effect ten-fold.
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Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
No, but I ain't usually too much in new movie (as most people know already) and when I am I don't buy what people would call masterpieces.
The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood no? or I think at something else...
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Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
I have Flags of Our Fathers... but haven't watched it yet... do you recommend?
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Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
No, but I ain't usually too much in new movie (as most people know already) and when I am I don't buy what people would call masterpieces.
The movie was directed by Clint Eastwood no? or I think at something else...
Yes it was. It's silly to dismiss it, Jimmy, if that's what you're doing. After all, I mentioned it because you must have seen Full Metal Jacket and Platoon, both big budget famous director films. Flags could be a story you're interested in.
I have Flags of Our Fathers... but haven't watched it yet... do you recommend?
Yes. It's a bit dry, but still interesting. It may especially resonate for you now because it's about the same subject as Sands of Iwo Jima, but from another perspective.
Eastwood made it in tandem with Letters from Iwo Jima, which is supposed to be the best of the two, but I haven't seen it yet. It's the same story from the Japanese perspective, so subtitled as well.
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Yes it was. It's silly to dismiss it, Jimmy, if that's what you're doing. After all, I mentioned it because you must have seen Full Metal Jacket and Platoon, both big budget famous director films. Flags could be a story you're interested in.
I didn't dismiss it, I just said why I haven't watched it... I will try to put in one my order someday since I like, and own, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket (as long it isn't boring like the one with Tom Hanks...).
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Yes it was. It's silly to dismiss it, Jimmy, if that's what you're doing. After all, I mentioned it because you must have seen Full Metal Jacket and Platoon, both big budget famous director films. Flags could be a story you're interested in.
I didn't dismiss it, I just said why I haven't watched it... I will try to put in one my order someday since I like, and own, Platoon and Full Metal Jacket (as long it isn't boring like the one with Tom Hanks...).
Ha! If you mean Saving Private Ryan, then trust me, you'll definitely find Flags boring! :laugh:
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I like FMJ, but it falls into the trap of a lot Kubrick material for me, in that it lacks personality. It almost feels satirical. In many ways it is a better film than Platoon, but I do feel Oliver Stone's experience benefits the effect ten-fold.
The main thinkg where the film looses me is the strong contraction of the two characters played by Dafoe and Berenger. *SPOILERS COMING UP* Sure, it's a movie and getting a point across is easier this way, but having Dafoe die the way he does is just causing me to roll my eyes.
On a lighter note, I found it interesting that Platoon's protagonist is played by the son of Apocalypse Now's. And they look scarily alike, which I guess means to say how freakishly young Martin Sheen looked in 1979.
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That's an amazing scene! So good it's the poster. :P
Talking about the Sheen's, have you ever seen Hot Shots Part Deux? When Charlie is going up river looking like Rambo, his dad is coming the other way as Willard!
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Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
I have Flags of Our Fathers... but haven't watched it yet... do you recommend?
Definitely!
Best in combination with the other one: Letters from Iwo Jima (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498380/)
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That's an amazing scene! So good it's the poster. :P
I never liked the poster :P
Just to be clear, I don't think it's a bad film, it just didn't affect me at the time4 the same way Full Metal Jacket did.
Talking about the Sheen's, have you ever seen Hot Shots Part Deux? When Charlie is going up river looking like Rambo, his dad is coming the other way as Willard!
I am not sure if I saw 1 or 2 or both. It would have been at the time of the VHS release and that is many, many moons ago. Sounds like a good moment though :laugh:
I just finished Hearts of Darkness. Very nice view into all details how this film got made. Sheen replacing Keitel, Sheen's heart attack and Brando being a prick. Highly recommended.
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Have you seen Flags of our Fathers? It's about that very thing.
I have Flags of Our Fathers... but haven't watched it yet... do you recommend?
Definitely!
Best in combination with the other one: Letters from Iwo Jima (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0498380/)
But it is good as a standalone as well... right? I don't have Letters from Iwo Jima. Watching one now... but trying to decide what else to watch today.
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| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/71/717951000316f.jpg) | | G.I. Jane: Widescreen (1997/United States)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119173) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.I._Jane)
| (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png) | Buena Vista Home Entertainment | | Director: | Ridley Scott | | Writing: | David Twohy (Screenwriter), Danielle Alexandra (Screenwriter), Danielle Alexandra (Story By) | | Length: | 125 min. | | Video: | Widescreen 2.35:1 | | Audio: | English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1 | | Subtitles: | English, Spanish |
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Stars:
Demi Moore as Jordan
Viggo Mortensen as Master Chief
Anne Bancroft as Lillian DeHaven
Jason Beghe as Royce
Daniel Von Bargen as Theodore Hayes
John Michael Higgins as Chief of Staff
Plot:
Screen megastar Demi Moore (Disclosure, Indecent Proposal) is in top form in this action-packed hit! Moore stars as gutsy Lieutenant O'Neil, the first woman ever given the opportunity to earn a place in the armed forces' most highly skilled combat unit – the elite Navy SEALs! But the already brutal rigors of training camp turn into an unimaginable test of courage and determination once it becomes clear that no one – powerful politicians, top military brass or her male Navy SEAL teammates – wants her to succeed! A critically acclaimed triumph directed by action hitmaker Ridley Scott (Alien, Thelma & Louise) - you'll cheer for G.I. Jane as this brave soldier proves she belongs among the best of the best!
Extras:
- Scene Access
- Feature Trailers
- Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
I remember buying this DVD within the first couple years of collecting DVDs. I started collecting DVDs in May of 1997 when the format first appeared in my area. I watched this movie once when I first got it... and haven't thought about it since. I didn't forget about it because I hated it... because I remember enjoying it at that time. It has been so long since I seen it I decided to re-watch it today. I always loved a strong woman character... so a woman trying to become the first Navy SEAL fits that preference perfectly. I remembered correctly as I still enjoyed this one very much. There was a few minor things I didn't care for.. but that wasn't enough to take away from the enjoyment. I even enjoyed Demi Moore in this one... who is normally pretty hit or miss for me. I found this to be one of her better ones.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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But it is good as a standalone as well... right? I don't have Letters from Iwo Jima. Watching one now... but trying to decide what else to watch today.
Yes it is.
The second part adds the Japanese view. You've got to love it.
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Speaking of Apocalypse Now Redux, it aired on AMC (a U.S. movie channel) last night. Unfortunately, this channel used to be commercial-free but now has as many commercials as any other crappy channel. Thus, the running time of this movie is now stretched to a coma-inducing 4 and a half hours... :redcard:
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I gotten to the point that I don't even watch movies on regular cable anymore. Just premium cable.
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Thus, the running time of this movie is now stretched to a coma-inducing 4 and a half hours... :redcard:
At least they didn't cut it to fit a two hours slot schedule...
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| (http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/09/097361178240f.jpg) | | Flags of Our Fathers: Widescreen (2006/United States)
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418689) | Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flags_of_Our_Fathers_(film))
| (http://www.invelos.com/images/DVDLogo.png) | DreamWorks Home Entertainment | | Director: | Clint Eastwood | | Writing: | William Broyles, Jr. (Screenwriter), Paul Haggis (Screenwriter), James Bradley (Original Material By), Ron Powers (Original Material By) | | Length: | 132 min. | | Video: | Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 | | Audio: | English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, French: Dolby Digital: 5.1 | | Subtitles: | English, Spanish |
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Stars:
Ryan Phillippe as John "Doc" Bradley
Jesse Bradford as Rene Gagnon
Adam Beach as Ira Hayes
John Benjamin Hickey as Keyes Beech
John Slattery as Bud Gurber
Barry Pepper as Mike Strank
Plot:
On the frontline, there's no time for fear. For 70,000 marines who fought with bombs blasting and guns blazing, the bloody battle for Iwo Jima was more than the turning point of World War II; it was the defining moment in their lives.
In the epic that The New York Times calls "a sweeping spectacle," Academy Award®-winning director* Clint Eastwood taps into the single greatest emotional truth of warfare: soldiers may fight for their country, but they die for their friends. Hailed by critics as "a film of awesome power and blistering provocation, an amazing feat" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone), Flags of Our Fathers is a powerful true story of heroism and bravery that should be shared and remembered.
*Best Director, Unforgiven, 1992;
Best Director, Million Dollar Baby, 2004
Extras:
- Bonus Trailers
- Closed Captioned
My Thoughts:
This is a movie I recently got in a box of discs that was given to me. Before then I never even heard of it. I enjoyed this one as well. It is pretty amazing how much can happen from a photo. And how much spinning people could possibly do around such a photo. While this one does have it's share of action... it isn't really about that. I found this film more interesting then anything. Definitely worth checking out.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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Well... I think I stuck with the War movies pretty good... especially considering they are not my favorite genre of movies. Not that you could tell by the ratings I gave these. :P But it is starting to become a heck of a chore to watch them now... so I think this movie marathon is now done.
I did enjoy it more then I expected to though! :thumbup:
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No Full Metal Jacket :(
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I have seen and reviewed Full Metal Jacket already... See it HERE (http://www.dvdcollectorsonline.com/index.php/topic,6371.msg112604.html#msg112604) :thumbup:
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...and less than a year ago. ...and 4 1/2 stars :thumbsup:
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The same weekend I made him watch Manos the Hands of Fate :whistle:
and since Pete knows I always recommand good movie for his marathon (:devil:) some weeks later he did watch War of the Robots I dared him to watch too...