PART ONE:

The Lone Survivor, was a film that got amazing reviews.  I can see why this film got amazing reviews and got many awards but I personally did not enjoy it.  I am a very picky person ,especially with movies, and I just didn't happen to like this movie.  I will admit that it was a good movie- but I personally didn't like it (which probably doesn't make sense).  Basically, I believe that the acting was pretty good, the way the movie was filmed and edited was good, and the screenplay was good.  However, that being said I still wasn't very entertained while watching it and it is certainly not a movie I would watch again.  I think Mark Wahlberg is very talented but this movie just didn't do it for me.  Plus, his character tried to take the kid at the end which just didn't make sense to me at all.  It's a child not a dog you can't just point and be like "it's coming with me."

PART TWO:

When it comes to our nation's military, I think the greatest pitfall of not portraying it accurately is that hollywood disrespectfully takes a story that has so much meaning and strength and just works around it to make money.  I believe that this is disrespectful because people were fighting for their lives and while it is a very good thing that hollywood is telling these stories, it is still wrong that the main goal is money.  I think it is highly insensitive. 

The Hurt Locker

 PART ONE:

The Hurt Locker is a film based on the personal wartime experience of journalist Mark Boal.  This film is a thriller that is set in the Iraq War.  Personally, I didn't really enjoy it.  First of all, I didn't know of a single actor in this film.  Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I tend to enjoy movies a little bit more when I know the actors that are in them.  Indeed, there were some parts that gripped me and had me interested- but for the most part I found this film to be quite boring.  This definitely isn't a film that is going to make a lasting impression me and honestly I doubt that I'm even going to really remember this movie when this class is over.  I hate to place sexist stereotypes but I feel like this movie is in many aspects a "boy movie"- which is perhaps why I didn't enjoy it as much.  I felt like this movie was very dull as far as character development was concerned.  There wasn't much storyline- it was just a war movie to me.   

PART TWO:

This movie opened up my eyes to war.  I felt like it was extremely realistic in that aspect- which also scared me.  This movie made me feel very appreciative that we have men and woman brave and strong enough to fight for our country like this.  The most memorable scene was probably when Sgt. J. T. Sanborn was talking about wanting a son.  This scene was the only scene I felt that held a substantial amount of emotion.  It made you realize that these men have feelings and aren't just people shooting guns.  These men endure so much physically and mentally.

PART THREE:

I think "hurt locker" is meant to symbolize a period of physical and emotional pain.  I think it means a bad and painful place.  Based on the events of the movie, I definitely don't think it symbolizes anything that is tied to happiness. 

Apollo 13

 PART ONE:

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM. There really was no reason for me starting this blog post off like that but I just couldn't resist the temptation.  Apollo 13 is a Hollywood drama that takes the viewer through the events that occurred during  the Apollo 13 lunar mission.  I loved this movie for a countless amount of reasons. To begin, every film that we have watched has been a historical film- hence the class being called "history through film."  However, I feel as though most of the films we have watched have been glamorized by hollywood and in turn have lost their sense of authenticity.  This movie was fantastic because because it was authentic.  I really felt like this film did a great job at taking you back to the time period.  Everything from the outfits, to the way it was filmed, to the editing. It really captured the essence of the early 70s aesthetically.  I also feel as though it captured the political aura of this time period in an extremely realistic manner.  I don't think that this film was over-dramatized.  It really felt as though you were watching the space mission as it was happening.  This movie taught me about the reality of space travel.  Honestly, I was and still am extremely ignorant on the topic but this movie taught me that it isn't even close to being as easy as I always imagined it to be.

PART TWO:

If I were to attach a theme to this movie I would say that this movie is a political adventure about hope and perseverance.  A political adventure because it highlights one of the most important things that was happening in the country at the time.  Hope, because without hope, the three men on the space shuttle could have given up far before they should have.  Perseverance because hope can only take you so far, and this movie shows that intelligence and continuos hard work are key factors.  Never giving up is a key factor.