The Hurt Locker

     I loved The Hurt Locker. The movie was never boring and kept me on my toes the whole time. I understand why the film won six Oscars because the acting and plot was simply amazing. The director did and excellent job and making the movie seem real. It made me feel as though I was there with them.
     As for what I think The Hurt Locker means is that the emotional strain the main character puts on himself. He's in this world of hurt and danger and when he has the opportunity to be done, he goes back for another tour. He hurts himself all over again because she doesn't know anything else.
     This film was one of my favorites that we watched this semester and should definitely be shown to many other classes. It was inspiring and very real to watch.  I enjoyed every minute of it.

Munich

     Watching One Day in September was very difficult for me. The documentary was extremely powerful and I found myself overwhelmed with emotion while watching it. The massacre was a tragedy and I do think that its still casts a shadow over the modern world. It shows that we are not as prepared as we though we were about incidences like this. Obviously the German government wasn't prepared and their lack of planning and organization for the rescue mission was appalling. The documentary shows that we need to do better in protecting the people. I believe that this massacre could have been prevented if there had been some simple security measures in place.

     There are a ton of unintended consequences for those who commit random acts of terror. They are sometimes shunned from their home country. They have to constantly hide because there are probably numerous attempts on their life. They also have to live with the massacre that they caused and whatever follows. I will never understand what drives someone to commit an act of terror.

Destroyed By War

     The statement, "The stories of Ron Kovic and Chris Taylor are neither accusations nor confessions, and least of all adventures, for death is not an adventure for those who stand face to face with in. They are but two examples of the many men, who even though they may have escaped the shells of Vietnam, were destroyed by the war" is in my opinion extremely true.  Ron Kovic was originally very patriotic and believed in serving his country. He volunteered to be enlisted in the Vietnam war and do his part for the United States of America. Eventually he became paralyzed and bitter, changing his view drastically of the war. He became a lost and a drunk for a while, before finally finding his calling. He became the new voice of the anti-war protest.
     When Ron came home he was paralyzed from the mid-chest down. He couldn't do normal daily activities anymore and was in the care of his parents. He could no longer get in bed by himself or shower normally. Eventually he became bitter over the lack of control he had on his body. Ron was also had nightmares about how he accidentally killed his friend. He held much burden over the secret. At the end of the statement it says the men (Ron and Chris) were destroyed by the war and I believe it. They were perfectly happy men until they went to war and witnessed/did horrible things. They could never take back what they did or saw in Vietnam and its a burden that they have to hold for the rest of their lives.
     I do somewhat see the rhetoric occurring in the War on Terror. Our country is very protective and patriotic. We believe in America and our safety. I think that people's reaction about going to war to stop the war on Terror is kind of like Westmoreland's statement. We don't always think about the other people in other countries, we only think about our safety. By not understanding other cultures, it can cause harm to us and others. We need to understand other cultures to keep peace and solve problems easily instead of resorting to war.

Mission to the Moon

     The movie, Apollo 13, was an exciting and thrilling movie that made me want to keep watching. I never knew anything about the Apollo 13 mission until I saw the movie. What happened that day was truly a miracle. I think that Tom Hanks was perfectly cast for the role of Jim Lovell. His acting and portrayal of the character was fantastic. I always was in suspense, wondering what was going to happen next. The fact that the movie, Apollo 13, is said to be pretty historically accurate makes it even more enjoyable to me. I get to feel and see what went on during that mission.
     I understand all of the knowledge we have gained through NASA's research and missions, but I think spending almost 10 billion dollars is a too much. Many of the equipment may be very expensive, but we could be putting that money for better use like getting our country out of debt. NASA in the past has been a very vital part of our country, but I don't think 10 billion dollars is necessary.
     Our inability to travel to space, in my opinion, is a little upsetting. As a kid we grew up with stories of Neil Armstrong and trips to space. Now no one hears theses stories any more. There's no more children dreaming of becoming an astronaut or exploring the universe. I do think the fact that we don't have anything going on is a problem, but since we don't we shouldn't worry about staying ahead of other countries. Since we don't have a way to travel, there is no need to waste our time, energy, and money to keep up with the space race.

Malcolm X: Search of Equality

     I thought the movie, Malcolm X, was very good. I didn't really know that much about Malcolm X, because most children grow up learning just about Martin Luther King. I thought what Malcolm X stood for and the story of his life was very interesting. Denzel Washington was excellent in the movie. In my opinion he portrayed the character just right.

     After reading the Letter to Mecca, I got to see a glimpse of who Malcolm X used to be. The letter showed the change of his personality and values, and how he had seen something in Mecca that struck something very powerful within him. This trip created the man he became when he came back to America. 

     I understand what Malcolm X means when he referred to African Americans as victims and racial inequality as the plague. During that time racial inequality was extremely high. There was segregation and no one got along with one another. In a way, racial inequality was a plague because it was so widespread that effected almost everyone. During that time it was considered normal to be separated and no one knew any better. I think that it can be cured because if we look today it has gotten so much better. The African Americans and Whites are no longer separated. We are all united.

     If Malcolm X was standing in front of me today I'm not quite sure what I would say to him. I think that I would say that I understand where he was coming from but I don't necessary agree on all of his methods and values.

The Conspiracy of a Bullet

     The film, JFK, was fantastic. I loved every bit of it. I thought it was so interesting because I really didn't know much about the assassination before I saw the movie.
     I do believe that there was some conspiracy involved with the assassination of President Kennedy. The Warren Commission made the decision not to reveal the autopsy report and many details about that day. This raised suspicion and caused many people to think that there was a conspiracy involved. The fact that we still don't know all of that facts today is also suspicious. I think that if there wasn't some part of a conspiracy involved then we would have all the facts about that day, yet we are still waiting until the government will finally reveal what really happened.
     In my opinion every American should learn to not trust what they are told. They should learn to come up with their own conclusions and question the authorities. People are deceiving and lie all the time. Without constant questioning, we would have never gotten as much information as we have today. When we question and trust our instincts, it challenges us to think in a different way and maybe even prove someone else's theory wrong.
     JFK, was a riveting movie that caused the government to reveal even more information about the assassination of President Kennedy. Oliver Stone's film might not be the most accurate, but it got people to question that tragic day.

A Man Who Changed History

     The film, 42, was an extremely inspirational movie that depicted Jackie Robinson's life during that time period. I thought the movie was very moving and interesting. Everyone knows the story about Jackie Robinson. Everybody knows that he was the first African American player in Major League Baseball, but not many people knew the full story. It was not until this movie, that I finally knew all the details of his ordeal. The acting in the movie was simply fantastic, playing their roles just right. Overall, this movie was amazing and I couldn't believe that it took so long to film a great movie about the story of Jackie Robinson.
     Jackie Robinson helped our country greatly. He did what he loved no matter what anyone thought. Jackie overcame all of the hatred and showed them who was right. By continuing to play baseball, Jackie confronted racism head on. He never backed down and only got stronger and more successful. He helped this country actually think about racism and how it might effect one another. Jackie made even the most conservative people realize that maybe something was wrong with their ways and they should fix it.
     During one time or another we have all used Jackie's values to face our own problems. Many of his values are fairly common and we use them without even realizing it. For example, many of us use courage and excellence everyday. I know that I strive to do my very best, especially in school. This would be a form of excellence. If I had a problem that I needed to be confronted, I would need to use courage to be able to stand up and talk about it. Determination would help me get through it and keep me going towards my goal. At times my family and friends might be able to help me out with a problem. All of the rest of these values are easily used in everyday life and I know that I use them all the time.
     I don't agree or disagree with the quote. I think it depends on what that person did and to the extent that that impact had on others. Not everyone will have a huge impact on others, but it doesn't mean that we aren't important. I think what Jackie was trying to say is that when doing something, think about the effect it might have on both yourself and other people. If good causes come of it then go for it, but if something bad will result then you might want to rethink and refrain from doing it.