MYST #6: (7.62 mm...) Full Metal Jacket

                                                   

For those of you who don't know me very well, let me start off by telling you something about me. I LOVE history, and have since a kid. So don’t be surprised to see primarily movies that take place in history.

When I first saw this movie, by the end I was like Private Pyle, I had no idea what to expect or what it was about and then by the end my mind was blown (metaphorically). Although it was a few years since I've seen this movie for the first time, I still enjoyed re-watching it.

 

Full Metal Jacket is a two segment look about the Vietnam War. The first half is the training of platoon 3092 and their experiences with Sargent Hartman. The Second half shows one of the Platoon members, Joker, who is now a reporter for Stars and Stripes, and how training pays off during the Tet offensive of 1968.

The story for FMJ is different from most Vietnam War movies. Rather than start off in Vietnam, it starts at the beginning of basic training. It starts before that even, the opening scenes are the platoon getting their heads shaved to start basic training. It’s also interesting to see that we follow a combat correspondent throughout the movie, rather than follow a squad of riflemen or such instead.

Cinematically, it relied a lot on medium shots. Kubrick would show shots of the soldiers from the feet above in the majority of the movie. He used close ups when anyone died and people would always say something about it, regardless of rather they were American or Vietnamese. Kubrick used long shots as well when soldiers would run from building to building in Hue City.

A theme that seemed to be present throughout the movie was movement. In every scene, someone was moving, Hartman pacing, soldiers running, tanks driving, are just some of the many times this occurs. Although this could be debated, especially with scenes like the helicopter ride to Hue and graduation, people are still moving.

Something else worth mentioning is the music selection. In the opening scene, Johnnie Wright’s song "Hello Vietnam" came on (and is now stuck in my head). But there were awesome other 60's songs such as "Paint it Black" "Sufin Bird" and "Chapel of love". He ends the movie with the survivors of the battle singing the 1960's  Micky Mouse Club theme. (M-i-c, k-e-y, m-o-u-s-e... that's also stuck in my head as well). In my opinion, Kubrick put this in to show how childish war is.  

                                                                            (Joker and Cowboy in basic training)

My favorite character would either be Joker or Cowboy. I enjoyed Joker being a smart ass and trying to help out Pyle, but I also enjoyed Cowboy's ability to maintain composure even though his previous CO's (Commanding officers) died and handle  the sniper. As for my favorite scene, I didn't really have one, but I did enjoy the second half more than the first. 

Full Metal Jacket (1987) Official Trailer - Stanley Kubrick ...
▶ 2:19
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9f6JaaX7Wg



Jan 29, 2014 - Uploaded by MOVIECLIPS Classic Trailers
Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt. Full Metal Jacket(1987) Official Trailer - Stanley Kubrick Movie ...

Overall, I enjoyed the movie; there were a few historical inaccuracies as usual. But in the end I give Full Metal Jacket 5 Screaming R. Lee Ermy's out of 5.

MYST #5: The Thin Red Line

                                   

For those of you who don't know me very well, let me start off by telling you something about me. I LOVE history, and have since a kid. So don’t be surprised to see primarily movies that take place in history.

This was a movie I was hoping to watch for quite a long time. For a while, no one I knew had it, and I never go to the library so I knew that wasn't going to happen. Last weekend however, I found it in a book store in one of those "3 movies in one" and so I bought it.

During the battle of Guadalcanal in World War II, the outcome of the battle for Henderson Field will strongly influence the Japanese advance into the Pacific. The Battle of the Gifu is where a group of young soldiers from the 25th Division is brought in as a relief for the battle-weary Marines. The men are dropped off at the base of some mountains and must clear them out. The exhausting fight for a strategically-positioned airfield that allows control over a 1000-mile radius puts the men through hell. The horrors of war form the soldiers into a tight-knit group; their emotions develop into bonds. The reasons for this war get further away as the world for the men gets smaller and smaller until their fighting is for mere survival and the life of the other men with them.

The "Story" itself is somewhat generic of a war movie and somewhat different. The generic part is that everyone is afraid to die and that by the end, the some of the characters become the complete opposite of when there introduced. It is somewhat different because it’s the only movie I've seen where you hear the soldiers thoughts. They vary from things like home, being a leader, combat, and many other things.

Speaking of generic, the majority of the characters were. The over confident colonel, the know it all sergeant, the incapable captain, the vengeful men, the whole lot of generic characters. Another thing I didn't like was that I still don't know characters names. I looked them up after, but during it I just named them myself. My favorites were: shotgun guy, AWOL, Colonel, the kid, the guy who should be dead but isn't, and Sean Penn.

Cinematically, I liked it because it used long shots which aren't seen very much. It’s used heavily in the first battle scenes charging up the mountain and when the senior officers are talking to the men. There is also a lot of close up shots when we hear the soldier’s thoughts. It’s also used in the scenes with the Japanese.

 

Lighting was.... really weird to put it. In some instances, it looked fine, no filters, seemed normal. In other scenes, it looked like you gave a 16 year old girl the camera with all the filters Terrence Malick used. It would go from an orange tint to black and white, to normal in a matter of seconds.

(A not so great example of when there was a filter)

I didn't really have a favorite scene or character; I didn't feel a personal connection with any them. My favorite scene is when a small group sneaks up to the top of the mountain and helps call in an artillery strike.                       

Something I didn't like was that George Clooney was put on the poster to help promote it when he was in the last two minutes off the movie. The movie was also historically in accurate, there were small things here and there, and the main thing that bothered me was the official after action report listed 250 allied soldiers killed in the battle. That was between 4 nations. In this it looks like they lose that in the first half of the movie alone.

Something I thought that was really cool though was that some of the filming was actually shot on Guadalcanal. This is quite a feat to do because getting the ability to get there is incredibly hard.

The Thin Red Line - Trailer - (1998) - HQ - YouTube
▶ 2:55
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCmlOhsIwBk



Dec 26, 2008 - Uploaded by ryy79
Trailer for Terrence Malick's film starring Sean Penn, James Caviezel, Ben Chaplin, Elias Koteas, Adrien ...

Despite its short comings, I give The Thin Red Line 4 charges up a mountain out of 5

MYST #4: The Big Lebowski

                                                    

**THE TWIST**

Instead of reviewing a war movie or historical movie. If you read them, you could say i'm living in the ****ing past...You're goddamn right I'm living in the ****ing past! 
This 1998 crime/comedy movie takes place in 1991 and is more mellowed out (for the most part). But there are going to be a bunch of references throughout (like the last sentence) so if something doesn't make sense, watch the movie and it will.

Before I start,  Everyone, this is not 'Nam, this is a film studies review. There are rules. If you don't believe me, you're entering  world of pain. (Not a threat, its a refrence)

(L to R: The Dude, Donny, and Walter)

A few weeks ago while picking out some movies with friends, a friend of mine said that he'd never seen the movie before, I looked at and thought he was a nihilist for saying that, so we watched it.

I would have posted this on Saturday, but it was Shabbas, which I'm allowed to break only if it's a matter of life or death.

When a dude, named "The Dude"or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.(His real names Jeffery) Lebowski, is mistaken for a millionaire named Lebowski, two thugs urinate on his rug to scare him into paying a debt he knows nothing about. While attempting to gain recompense for the ruined rug from his wealthy counterpart, he accepts a one-time job with high pay-off. He gets the help of his bowling buddy, Walter, a Jewish Vietnam Vet with anger issues, and his other friend Donny (Who should shut the **** up), and Lenin, V.I. Lenin. Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov! (Not really) . Deception leads to more trouble, and it soon seems that everyone from porn empire tycoon to German nihilists want something from The Dude.

The story is something that is something I should talk about, when I first was going to watch it, I thought it was going to be a serious a movie, but then I saw one of the thugs peeing on the carpet, so clearly I was in for something else. It was a shame they did that too, that rug really tied the room together. The story overall is hilarious though and sort of makes sense, I can't tell you why without spoiling it, but it made me think the first time through.

The acting in is was as hilarious and as good as the story, Jeff Bridges (The Dude) perfectly portrayed a mellowed out stoner, Steve Buschemi (Donny) is always good at playing awkward roles and taking crap from everyone (He did a lot in Grown Ups, Monsters Inc., Reservoir Dogs). I'm not much of a John Goodman (Walter) fan, but I did enjoy his over the top performance in the movie. Another Actor I should mention is Sam Elliot (The Stranger, or as I prefer to call him, The Cowboy). Elliot is the Narrator for the movie and shows up mid-way through and at the end. After watching this, Elliot should have been a cowboy, not an actor. Not saying he is bad, I think he is a very talented actor, but it seemed like he was right out of 1874 Wyoming.

For me, it is very hard to pick a favorite scene let alone a favorite character. It seemed like every other thing that came out of someone’s mouth was funny. But if I had to pick a favorite character it'd be The Dude or Walter. It’s hard to pick a scene because they are as memorable as the quotes, am I wrong? Am I wrong? ( No Im just an ***hole)

**** it, Dude, Lets go Bowling

1. 1. ► 2:35

      "The Big Lebowski" Official Trailer - YouTube

      www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd-go0oBF4Y
   2. I give the Big Lebowski 5 Bowling Balls out of 5
   3. But well, that's just like, my opinion, man.