THE HURT LOCKER

This movie was quite intense which is a tad hard for me to handle.  But I really liked the content of the movie.  I liked how it wasn't your typical war movie with people in constant battle, instead it was a suspenseful movie that showed how tragedies could be prevented.  Plus I thought all of the actors played their parts excellently.  They honestly portrayed people who have lived nothing but the life of war.  It amazes me that this is the true reality for too many people.  All the wars going on means that there are people who need to perform these actions.  It saddens me to think that they will never live the societal norms, but there are people like the main character who can't seem to function in ordinary life. 

The hurt locker is a very interesting title.  And I feel it could mean numerous different things in context.  However the only reference to a locker in the movie is in the beginning when the first leader of the unit is killed by a bomb.  His best friend then placed all of his belongings in a metal box to send home.  I think that is the hurt locker. The box that is supposed to represent all of a persons life, and all the future hurt that will be felt by the people close to the deceased.

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

When I say that this movie rose my blood pressure, that is no exaggeration.  There were parts in this film when I truly stopped breathing.  I love love loved this movie.  And I can say with full certainty that I had never seen a movie dealing with this topic before, and thats really cool considering all the remakes that occur.  The suspense in this movie was perfectly played, and I thought the actors did an amazing job of playing their parts.  I know the Somali pirate captain was the bad guy, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him.  It wasn't his fault that he was forced into this profession.  If he had been born in another country I am willing to bet that he would not be involved in things of this matter.  But, of course I obviously was more invested in the well being of Captain Phillips.  If he didn't make it out of there alive, I would have thrown a hissy fit.  When Tom Hanks had that final breakdown after witnessing the three pirates get shot, that was one of the most real scenes I have ever seen.  There was nothing but raw emotion, no special effects or music, just a man who had truly been traumatized.  Also I thought it was a great display of how effective our American army is.  We don't take any mess!  All around an amazing movie and I will be making my family watch it in the near future.

APOLLO 13

This film itself was not my favorite.  However I feel the subject in which it was based is extremely interesting.  For some reason, as this tragedy was happening, I did not feel very invested in the well being of these astronauts.  I don't feel the director did a good enough job of developing the characters so that you felt a sense of compassion for them.  The actors did a great job of portraying their characters, but I felt they lacked in connecting to the audience.  I would recommend this movie to others though because there are very little known examples of the events that went on up in space.  A theme that was prevalent in this film is that sometimes giving up is not an option.  These three men had so many obstacles they had to face yet they preserved tackled every single one.  Even though they weren't able to reach their initial goal of reaching the moon, they received the ultimate gift which is life.

This is an iffy subject for me because I can argue both sides.  One, I feel that outer space and the unknown is a magnificent thing that should be explored and understood.  We are a tiny speck in a universe that I feel we know very little about.  How are we to know what occurs in the opposite side, and I feel learning more about that could have a very positive effect on our society.  On the flip side, $9.928 billion a year is an obscene amount of money.  And I can't help but think what other organizations that money could go to.  Like feeding the hungry or housing the poor.  There is a very delicate balance between using what is necessary in order to make a better future, and using excessive amounts that could benefit another cause.

The fact that the United States currently can't travel to space is something that is hard to get my head around.  It seems very odd that more than 50 years ago we had the capability to complete this task, but in present time we don't.  There is a common assumption that technology only improves over time, not that it goes backwards.  I don't think we should give up on space exploration, there is a vast unknown out there that I feel we should strive to learn more about.  Plus I personally like being in first place, and I don't really like the idea of other countries having a leg up on us with something so potentially influential.

PARKLAND

I really really liked this movie.  Which surprised me because I usually lean towards the normal mainstream Hollywood films.  But I enjoyed how this movie was filmed differently.  Parkland did an amazing job of making you feel like you were on the street, or in the room when all of these events occurred.  My heart rate was changing relative to the ups and downs of the film.  I especially like how the movie showed the immediate aftermath of the shooting, instead of focusing on just the shooting itself.  I made a huge mistake though of actually googling the Zapruder footage, I will never be able to get that image out of my head.  Also I feel this movie gave great insight to how President Kennedy was view as a person and a leader.  Of course it is a devastating time when someone is executed, but it seemed as if the country had paused.  That life could no longer go on for the time being because someone as special, important, and well liked as Kennedy had been taken from the American people.  In my opinion, the assassination had to be a conspiracy because it seems even more insane that one person hated the president so much that he was willing to go to those lengths.  I feel that Oswald was not alone in intent.

THE PIANIST

This movie was amusing to me because the title "The Pianist" seems so peaceful and tranquil, while the movie itself was full of anger, violence, and hatred.  The movie was a tad too dark for my taste, there was a lot of negative with very few positive besides the fact that Spzliman finally escaped the oppression.  However I feel like the this movie had an extremely strong moral and message.  That the act of perserverance is key.  That giving up is not an option.  And it motivates me to push even further than I think possible because you never know when the end of the journey will come and better times are around the corner.

I'm not sure if I am completely correct with this inference, but I got the hint that captain Hosenfeld was actually of the Jewish race as well.  I have no clue how he was able to escape the reigns of the German military and actually become one of them....but as they Hosenfeld and Szpilman began conversing, Hosenfeld was using words like "we" and "us" when referring to the Jewish community.  This is why I feel that the captain felt obligated to help the pianist because of the level of gilt he is living with.  From Szpilman point of view, I don't know that he for sure trusted the captain, but I felt that he didn't really have a choice.  He was at the end of his road and the captain was the last chance of hope.

DEFIANCE

This movie impacted me in a way that I would have never expected.  Tuvia and his brothers are some of the most inspirational survivors in history that I never knew about.  How they took so many people under their wings to provide them with a chance of living was so special.  Some people thought the movie was a tad slow but I thought it was filmed perfectly.  I actually felt like I was in the forest with this group of fighters. I also really liked how the incorporated love in the "forest marriages" to give people a sense of hope.  Although this time in history was depressing and embarrassing, but people like this were what kept life alive.

"Our revenge is to live," this is a very meaningful quote.  This people discriminating against the Jewish race did everything in their power to erase the Jewish population.  And Tuvia knew that.  So in order to prove these horrible people wrong, they had to live and thrive.  Humanity and revenge are huge themes in this movie and in life.  I think both are inevitable.  Revenge is not a positive part of life but it's something that we must live with and constantly battle.  Humanity being the positive aspect of life and revenge being the negative. The main goal in life is to make the positive outward the negative.

THE GODFATHER

I feel like this movie had such an infamous reputation, that when I finally saw it, it was nothing like I had expected.  I have no reason in particular why I was expecting the movie to be a certain way, but it did not live up to my expectations.  To say the least, I was not a fan.  However, I liked the character of Michael, he seemed real.  Someone that people could relate to.  Trying to escape his families legacy but getting caught up in it all.  The movie in all didn't give me much emotion other than annoyance.  Although I must say it was interesting seeing a movie from the "bad guys" point of view.  And how they still greatly valued family and did what they needed to put food in their mouths.

Vito Corleone is portrayed as a God-like figure.  Basically nothing could get done in the community without the assistance, or approval from the "Godfather."  Even though we all knew he was conducting very bad things, while we were watching they didn't seem quite so bad.  You started to feel for him, and thought "maybe he is doing right."  When he did, I didn't feel a sense of happiness or sadness.  I was indifferent.  I also don't think the world was able to escape anything, because Vito was replaced in full by his son Michael.

This movie is extremely different from my previous perception of organized crime.  From this families point of view, it was the only way to live.  And their peers held them in the highest respect.  Unlike how we imagine where they are not liked by anyone, just feared by everyone.  I am not going to say that this movie is not a classic, because to say many people, it is.  I think its classic feeling is solely because of the different perspective it is given.  Plus you have a couple of characters who don't take any mess and get what they need to get done....at any costs.

MIRACLE

This movie was able to give me a feeling that most movies aren't able to accomplish.  It is easy to make people feel sad, or happy, but a harder emotion to reach is inspiration.  And this movie inspired me to be great.  I can honestly say that there was not a single thing that I didn't like about this movie.  I loved every second.  Except maybe when that nice young man with the mustache was cut at the last minute, that broke my heart.  But the whole story line was perfect.  I told my father that he has to watch the movie.  And I am considering watching it before I have any big matches.  Because it really shows that no matter where you started, or who you are, on any given day, you can be the best.

If I had to explain this event, I would describe it as the following.  A group of talented, but not united young men who were thrown into the ice, expected to fail against the best hockey teams in the world.  But with the incredibly strategic coaching, and the hard work of the players, they were able to do the impossible.  They took down the Soviet Union, the team that was thought to be untouchable.  This triumph was not only for hockey, it was for the country.  During this time, it was the height of the Cold War.  The war of worries between the United States and the Soviet Union.  Relations were horrible and the whole country had an awakening when these young men were able to defeat the commies.  It meant so much more than a puck making it's way to a net.

During my lifetime, one event that comes to mind similar to this "miracle on ice" was when the seal team was able to take down Osama Bin Laden.  He had been a common enemy of this country for years, and he was thought to be untouchable.  However, with a small group of well trained and determined soldiers, he is no longer alive.  When word came of his death, I think the whole country took a simultaneous sigh of relief and were united if only for a few moments.

42

I had seen this movie when it first came out, but even over the months, my love for it has not diminished.  I love how they portray Jackie as such a strong individual, so focused on his goals that even the terrible racism surrounding him wasn't able to break him.  Another aspect of the movie I adored was his relationship with his wife Rachel.  They were each others rock, and I honestly don't know is Jackie would have have been able to endure his hardships if he didn't have Rae to come home to.  This movie is so inspiring, and every time I watch it, I feel a burst of motivation to work even harder, and do something that makes a difference.

Jackie Robinson helped his country tremendously.  His greatest gift to America was showing that African American's do belong.  That we are not a different species and can do anything that any other race can do.  Also his amazing temperament stopped the stereotype that we are ignorant hot headed people.  His time in the league put a crack in the barrier between white and black.  Blurring the lines that will one day, hopefully, be nonexistent.

His nine values should be ones that all people aspire to accomplish.  In my life, I know that there are some in which I excel, like determination, persistence, integrity, and commitment.  But also some that I know could be improved.  Mainly courage, teamwork and citizenship.  I do feel very comfortable in my small little life bubble, and don't know how willing I would be to venture into the great unknown.  Also, I am an extremely competitive person, so I struggle working equally with other people.  I have also played individual sports so my sense of unity needs work.  Lastly, I know I am a very fortunate person, and need to go out of my way to give back to those less fortunate.

This statement is completely true.  We are going to live our lives, and then one day those lives are going to end.  After that happens, then what?  However, if we spent our lives impacting and changing others, then we will forever live on in the lives of those people we have touched.  We all were put on this Earth for a reason, so I believe we have to make it count.

CINDERELLA MAN

This movie was titled Cinderella Man, because like the original fairy tale, Jim Braddock was able to arise from a place where he was expected to achieve nothing.  Instead he accomplished great things, surprising the nation, and even himself.  This movie was by far one of my favorites.  Not just a favorite from the selection we have seen in class, but one of the best movies I have ever seen.  One of my favorite aspects was the relationship between Jim and his wife.  These actors did an excellent job of portraying two people deeply in love.  Personally, I really liked Jim Braddock.  He was such a hard working and caring guy, you couldn't help but to fall for him.  Poverty is an issue that is timeless, and definitely a burden on our country today.  Although the entire nation was not effected as severely as during the Great Depression, certain people feel the harsh realities more than ever.

The scene in the movie when Braddock's young son steals a salami is extremely devastating.  Seeing a family so hopeless and lost that a boy of his age feels it is his responsibility because his siblings are starving and his father can't find work.  The scariest part was that this was the reality for about 25% of our nation at this time.  The son fears that he will be sent away, which crushes him because all he wants is for his family to stay one unit.  And his father, Jimmy, promises that he won't let that happen.  Sadly, he can't keep his promise under the circumstances.  Personally, I know as a young child I wouldn't be able to see the whole picture and would be hurt at the thought.  But now I am able to realize that tough decisions must be made in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.

I feel bad that the family of Max Baer has to live with the majority of the country believe that Max was a cruel, selfish, and materialistic man.  That is not fair for Hollywood to portray a young man as someone that he was not.  But, I also see why it was done, having a good villain to oppose the hero makes the story stronger.  The "come up" of James Braddock was even more meaningful because he was able to overcome two things; Max, and the economy.

This scene honestly brought tears to my eyes.  It was touching seeing a man who was so independent and previously well off, humble himself enough to a room of wealthy people who were the ones who ended his career.  It is extremely admirable to see that he was able to put his pride aside and ask for help when he had no other alternative.  This helps develop the theme of Cinderella Man, because this is his rock bottom.  In order to have a miraculous recovery, a person must be so far down that up is the only option.

TOMBSTONE

From my point of view, this movie had numerous pros and cons.  My favorite aspect of the movie was the characters and character development.  The movie did an excellent job of creating likable characters that you became invested in.  And on the contrary, they did equally well creating characters that were very easy to dislike.  This allowed us to have an ongoing competition where we desired the good guys to succeed and the bad guys to fail.  This may seem odd, but my favorite character was Doc Holiday.  Because despite of his many issues, both internally and externally, he was a fighter willing to push to his last breath, especially for his friends.  Not to mention his skill and quickness with weaponry.  However, I was not a huge fan of the overall plot.  The setting and the actions couldn't really hold my interest because I did not feel like I could relate.  Things that happened in the movie are not things that I deal with in my day to day life.  Although the gun fights were interesting, they were not personally appealing.  One of the biggest themes in the book to me was that you can't fight your destiny.  Wyatt Earp tried his best to run away from the law and settle down with his family.  But his true calling was being in charge and nothing could keep him from that fate.  Also, Wyatt tried his best to stay faithful to his wife, but he couldn't help but fall for his true love.  I would recommend this movie because many people find great interest in this time period and the movie was excellently executed.

A person or event is considered legendary when it becomes and common household name.  When the majority of people in the area have heard and know references to this certain thing then it should be considered legendary.  Also when someone or something sets a precedent for the future, it is legendary as well.  The one character who is definitely a legend is Wyatt.  He traveled to a remote village in Arizona, in a time when communication was limited, and almost all of the people still knew of, and admired his actions as sheriff in Kansas.  Now that, is the definition of a legend.

GLORY

Although blood and gore are not my strong suit, Glory managed to hold my interest throughout its entirety.  The main reason I was able to feel a connection was because of the character development.  A feeling of attachment and investment started to come over me as I watched longer and longer.  Not only hoping that the regiment would be successful for the sake of the film, but because I started to feel that they were worthy.  The time period in America was not one which instill us with pride, however it happened regardless.  And these people were forced to live in a such a backwards society.  The most touching part of the film was the fact that these soldiers, and even the commander were willing to die for a country that hadn't treated them well.  Simply for the hope of a better future.  I think that this movie was designed to shed light on the importance of equality and freedom.

In my opinion, any person willing to lessen their lives for the bettering of another should be considered a hero.  So, this includes all of the men and women who have sacrificed their safety since the dawn of time.  However, I think the soldiers are more heroic than the commanders.  Especially being the first African American regiment, they had to transgress the previous notion that we simply were not the same.  They were the first to stand up to the harassment and ridicule, even from people on their own side.  And stand face front of people with their barrels pointed forward who had a deep hatred just because of their skin color.  Shaw gained my respect in the final scene when he steps from the safety of his horse and joins his men on the ground.  I feel this was the last attempt of showing true equality and passion between people of two very different worlds.

The charge at Fort Wagner was my least favorite part of the movie.  Not only because they people I had grown to love were defeated, but it signified the loss of the fighting cause.  But, that point aside, I think the brave attack showed two things.  One, the African American regiment had finally gained the respect of the fellow white Union soldiers.  And two, they were more than capable of achieving greatness.

My Introduction

HI!  My name is Adrian.  One word to describe myself is competitive.  This is both a gift and a curse seeing as though it pushes me to do great things, but also instills an obsession with winning.  My main interest consists of playing tennis along with my necessary participation in school.  Also being around my close friends and family.  But most of all having a fulfilling nap following a satisfying meal.  My goals include receiving a scholarship and attending a college equipped with a high ranking tennis team.   Long term, I hope to have a loving family and a job I look forward to working everyday.  My favorite part about school is being in constant contact with people and information.  My least favorite aspect is the constant state of worry we are forced to live in.  Always preparing for the next exam or presentation.  However, a bright light in this school system happens to be the teachers.  My favorite qualities in a teacher are passion, and understanding.  For a teacher to be able to make in impact, they have to truly be passionate about the subject they are teaching.  In addition, they have to be able to see  that their class is not the only priority on my list and there are other things that will take up my time.  History is the one class that has been able to hold my interest all throughout high school.  I never envisioned myself as having a career in history, but the content of  the classes fascinates me.

Personally, I have not seen the advances in humanity that I would have hoped.  There are parts of our past that fill our population with shame and do not give us a sense of pride.  We, as a whole, have come a long way with regards to equality and respect, but we are no where close to where we need to be.  Our world is in a constant state of conflict and war, finding ourselves with many more enemies than allies.  Technology wise we have climbed many mountains, we are able to do we things we never  thought possible.  But our brains need some time to catch up.  I feel we need to stop being so self absorbed and begin to worry about the needs of others.  Once that becomes our main focus, we will be able to excel further than we've ever imagined.