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.
Sunday, February 23, 2014
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.
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.
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.
Monday, February 10, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
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.
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.
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