Born On The Fourth of July

The film is a biography of Vietnam, war veteran Ron Kovic who was paralyzed fighting on the front lines during the Vietnam War. He becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for and was once so passionate about.

Ron grows up being pro war and very patriotic about the United States. Throughout his childhood he is exposed to Fourth of July Parades as well as John F. Kennedy as president, which ultimately inspires him to enlist in the Marines. He is looking forward to his act of duty but is let down when his love interest Donna, turns down his invitation to their prom.  This would be the last time Ron would see Donna before he goes off to war. He ends up at the dance anyways, and the two share a beautiful kiss which later in the film leads them reuniting as they meet again later in their life.

Ron is a respectable marine but is ultimately scared for his life. In his second act of duty in Vietnam, The stress and constant paranoia takes over him and he mistakenly shoots one of his own marines, killing him. This has a great effect on Ron as he begins to feel extremely guilty for his actions, which leads him to appeal to his officer. The platoon endures another dangerous encounter with the enemy, where Ron is critically wounded and becomes paralyzed from the waist down and is luckily saved by another marine who carries him to safety.

The story then displays the disgusting conditions of the hospital that Ron is being cared for at. The hospital staff had no respect for the patients who just risked their life for their country, which sadly left them with injuries that are life threatening. It was extremely surprising for me to watch how terribly treated these war veterans were. It was really hard to see how awful the nurses treated the patients; I could honestly not believe the truth behind the scene that the conditions and treatment did in fact happen during these times. This was a crucial factor in influencing Ron to later become an anti war activist as he looses complete trust in his country.

Ron encounters with Donna again and together they stand up for what they believe in and she is the one who helps Ron learn and understand that it is okay to be against the war especially after paralyzing him on his second act of duty.

I think Tom Cruise did an excellent job of playing Ron Kovic as he truly displayed the intense emotion that was needed to make the role believable and honest. I really enjoyed the movie and how it showed the truth and struggles one encounters after experiencing such tragedies as Ron did because of the war. His perspective was completely altered because of his experiences and definitely displayed how strong of a person he is. The movie was more enjoyable knowing that it was based on a true story and that Ron Kovic is in fact real and everything he went through in the movie were real life struggles that he faced in his life. I truly appreciated the story, the bravery and the strength of Ron and this a film I would definitely recommend.

From Hell

The true-life horror story of Jack the Ripper gets a new spin in this screen adaptation titled From Hell. In 1888, a ruthless and cold-blooded killer begins hunting prostitutes in East London, and while the murderer's work is savage, the mutilation of his victims suggests the fiend has an extensive medical background. The murderer's grisly exploits shock and frighten all of England, and one of Scotland Yard's top inspectors, Fred Abberline who is played by the incredible Johnny Depp takes on this case with the help of his partner, Peter Godley played by Robbie Coltrane.

The character Depp plays is either blessed or cursed with psychic visions and while he blurs his ability to see future events with the help of drugs, he still has the ability to ferret out dangerous criminals, which is put to the test as he and Godley search for the Ripper. The two investigate the neighborhood where the crimes occur and they become acquainted with the prostitutes and street people who were friends and compatriots of the victims. Abberline finds himself falling in love with Mary Kelly played by Heather Graham.

Johnny Depp is a remarkable actor who really puts an efficient effort into his work to make the character appeal and believable to the audience. It was evident how important he was to the storyline of the film as he was a strong investigator who usually was the only one with answers based on the visions he saw.

I found the movie very interesting and well down. It kept you on the edge of your seat as the viewer is always curious as to whether or not they have found the person responsible for these awful murders. This is a movie I would usually not enjoy, but the mystery and Johnny’s character were very intriguing, which made me more interested to continue watching the film in order to see the outcome.

Even though history has proven, Jack the Ripper, was never actually found, the film chooses the ending for you and ultimately reveals who is responsible for the murders. It’s definitely an ending you wouldn’t expect so it is definitely a movie that I would recommend in order to find out!

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is a remarkable and heartfelt film. His charisma draws the viewers in as they begin to develop a strong connection for Forrest’s character ultimately hoping he receives all the things he desires. This is common in films as viewers develop a strong hope and want for the protagonist to succeed.

He is driven by his love for Jenny and does his best to protect her as we watch the storyline develop. She is resistant of the attention Forrest gives her which sadly continuously leads her to push him away even though deep down she knows Forrest is the only man who has ever truly been there for her in her life. Love is a main theme of the movie as Forrest’s actions and the way he is, is based on the love he has for Jenny and the unconditional love his mother had for him.

The film displayed many important moments in history showing the growth of time throughout the film as well as Forrest’s maturity as he experiences the different time periods. The viewer gets the chance to see Forrest battle and conquer the difficult challenges he faces growing up. From dealing with a walking disability, to breaking free and becoming a fast runner, to fighting in war, to meeting the president to having a child etc, Forrest truly defines the meaning of strength, optimism and courage. Forrest truly experiences many ups and downs throughout his life but he remains positive showing how much he has grown up because of all the conflicts he was forced to face.

“Life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get….” Forrest expresses this as he was given this exact advice from his mother. It is a famous line that almost anyone can instantly recognize and reference the quote to the film. Forrest had a very close relationship with his mother as she was the only one who ever believed in him growing up. She was always supportive of his decisions, and continuously nurtured him guiding him towards independence.

This movie is special and a true Hollywood classic. One I would definitely recommend, one that I will never get sick of seeing and a film that will forever have it’s mark in the film industry.

Shake Hands With The Devil: The Journey of Roméo Dallaire

The documentary emphasizes Roméo Dallaire’s experience and his command of the United Nations mission in Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. The viewer gets to experience first hand, Dallaire’s story during the Rwanda Genocide and how he had no support from the UN and how they ignored his requests for more aid.

Between April 1994 and July 1994, the Hutu’s killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsi’s in 100 days. Dallaire was put in charge of a United Nations peacekeeping mission during the 1994 genocide. The documentary tells the story of General Dallaire and shows his return to Rwanda with his wife 10 years after the genocide.

Dallaire really opens up about his experiences and how difficult it was to save the Rwandan people without the support of his organization and the rest of the world. He did everything in his power to protect innocent lives without the aid that was desperately needed to ensure survival. He opens up about how he had a hard time dealing with the fact that his mission was a fail. He went through post traumatic stress because he couldn’t cope with the amount of killings he was exposed too throughout out his time to Rwanda.

The documentary takes viewers back to Rwanda where Dallaire visits for the first time since the genocide. He visits the different memorial sights and talks to different people, learning about their experiences and reflecting on his own.

I really enjoyed the documentary and I feel that it gave Dallaire the opportunity to share his story and the viewers got the chance to experience first hand, his emotional trip back to Rwanda, 10 years after the genocide which was a very emotional experience.

Ghosts of Rwanda

Ghosts of Rwanda is a special documentary to mark the 10^th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide. 800, 000 Rwandans were hunted down and murdered by Hutu extremists as the U.S and international community refused to intervene taking a backseat, disregarding how extreme and brutal this massacre was becoming. The documentary emphasizes the social, political and diplomatic failures that may have enabled the genocide to occur.

Ghosts of Rwanda displays interviews of those who first hand, experienced the genocide.

The film also reveals in detail how the Rwandan Hutu extremists not only secretly planned and executed a detailed plan for genocide, but also calibrated their actions to ensure that the West would not intervene.

The viewer gets to see actual clips and listen to people express their experiences during the genocide in 1994. The U.S is extremely blamed for their limited effort to intervene and stop the genocide. They refused to use the word “genocide” when describing the troubles in Rwanda at the time in order to keep themselves from being forced to intervene which they never showed any interest or willingness to do.

Each interview was very inspiring and emotional, as you can sincerely understand the effects the genocide had on the individuals who were trying their best to help save the Rwandan people. I feel that the documentary was a very good representation of the genocide as it displayed the horrific events that took place. It is important for the world to be aware of how prejudice and hatred towards specific groups of people can lead to terrible and disturbing events. Even though at times it was hard to watch the documentary, I really enjoyed the truth displayed throughout the film highlighting how cruel the Rwanda genocide really was.  

Shake Hands With The Devil

Shake Hands With The Devil emphasized General, Roméo Dallaire’s experience in Rwanda during the genocide. The film displayed how torn Dallaire was between his duty and his conscience when he finds himself eyewitness to hell on earth. In 1993, the United Nations dispatches Roméo Dallaire to Rwanda to command a peacekeeping mission. When the president’s plane is shot down in April 1994, chaos breaks out in Rwanda and Dallaire finds himself conflicted between saving the Rwandan People or keeping loyal to his organization by not intervening.

The film emphasizes how effected Dallaire was by his experience in Rwanda and shows flashbacks of the difficult decisions he was being forced to make because of the pressure of the UN. Dallaire went through posttraumatic stress because of his failed mission and felt remorse for not doing everything he could to stop the genocide. Dallaire showed determination and commitment to completeling his mission even without the support of his organization and the rest of the world. He found it very difficult to help the Rwandan people with limited resources and troops to protect them.

I really enjoyed the movie and thought Roy Dupis’s portrayal of Dallaire was exceptional. He outlined Dallaires struggle in Rwanda as well, as his determination to do everything he could to protect the Rwandan people.

Even though the mission failed, I feel like Roméo Dallaire is a true hero. Just because he feels as though he didn’t succeed, he still saved thousands of lives and never gave up on Rwanda even when most of the world did. A true hero stands up for what they believe in even if their standing alone.

Hotel Rwanda

This wasn’t my first time seeing Hotel Rwanda but I feel that watching movies more than once, helps you better understand the beauty of a film and as well, notice things that maybe you didn’t really pay attention too the first time seeing it.

Hotel Rwanda emphasizes Paul Rusesabagina’s story during the Rwanda Genocide in 1994. The film displayed his courage, strength and love for his family and well being. He used his connections with people of power, to keep himself, his family and over a thousand Hutu and Tutsi refugees safe. He took people in and gave them a place to feel safe at the Milles Collines Hotel. Even when his family had the chance to flee Rwanda, he stayed behind because he felt sympathy for the people left at the hotel. He risked his life to save many others and definitely showed true heroism. I really liked Don Cheadle’s portrayal of Paul because I think he fully grasped the emotion needed to play the role. However, I feel that the representation of Roméo Dallaire was poorly showed. After viewing many other movies and documentaries about Dallaire, I feel that Hotel Rwanda did not truly show how important Dallaire’s role was during the Genocide.

Even though I really enjoyed Hotel Rwanda and I thought it was an amazing movie, I feel like after seeing it a 2^nd time, I picked up on things that I didn’t notice the first time. I started to notice how ‘Hollywood’ and cliché the movie really was. After noticing this, the feeling I felt for the movie started to ware off and I started to be annoyed. Another thing I noticed is that the movie mainly showed Paul’s story, which was remarkable, but the viewer’s didn’t get the chance to fully understand and see what was happening outside the gates of the hotel. I feel the film, should have showed more of the genocide to have a stronger effect on the viewer and not as much focus on the ‘Hollywood’ aspect.