Joe
Posted by
Eric
I used to like Nicolas Cage a lot, but hadn't been that impressed with the movies
he's made the last few years. I would say he impressed me in this
one. He plays an ex-con named Joe who wants to be a good man and is
trying to stay out of trouble. You can tell he has a good heart, but
sometimes has issues controlling his inner demons. He comes across a
15-year old drifter named Gary (played by Tye Sheridan from Mud)
that has an alcoholic father who abuses him, and Joe eventually hires Gary to
work for him. Joe actually becomes kind of a role model for him and they
are both able to help each other find some direction in their lives through the
friendship they forge. But, being the kind of movie this is, everything
cannot be all rainbows and butterflies - Joe's past will always haunt him, Gary
has a dad that's just getting worse and will do almost anything to obtain
alcohol or money, and you know it's all going to come to a head in this small
town sooner or later! I wouldn't call this film "enjoyable" - I
liked it, but it wasn't always easy to watch. There was a lot of physical
violence, quite a bit of language, and it just felt like a dark, depressing
time for everyone in the movie highlighted by a few good moments. It felt
real and raw to me. Joe and Gary both made me think about how things may
not always turn out the way you want, but you have to keep trying and keep
fighting and never give up, even if it seems like there is no way out of a
situation. I'm going to remember Joe for a long time...
Lone Survivor
Posted by
Christy
I wrote this blog after seeing this movie in the
theater. It is now out on DVD and my thoughts are still the same. There are no
words to really express what a powerful, emotional, brutal, raw and
heartbreaking film this is! If you don’t
know about it – it’s the story of the failed 2005 mission in Afghanistan of four
Navy SEALS whose mission it was to find and capture a Taliban leader. Things go horribly wrong when goat herders
cross their paths and they have to choose what to do with them. Also, the radio contacts with the base failed
and they were left alone to face the Taliban by themselves. As the title suggests, only one of them makes
it out alive, barely, and that was Leading
Petty Officer Marcus Luttrell. This is
his story of the fight for their lives and the death of his fellow SEAL mates
and friends. This movie is larger than
life on the big screen and you witness the most extreme brutalness of the
rugged country in which they were fighting in and what they endured. It is heartbreaking to see the deaths of his
fellow friends, Michael Murphy, Danny Dietz and Matt “Axe” Axelson. As this movie ended, not one person in the
theater said anything- there was a revered silence for the men who lost their
lives serving their country. I believe
this is an important film to see for what it stands for. For more detailed information; you can also
read the book with the same title.
Lone Survivor
Posted by
Eric
This
movie puts you right in the middle of the action with a group of four Navy
SEALs while they are on a mission trying to capture a Taliban leader. Besides getting caught in rugged terrain and
in unfamiliar territory, they begin having radio and communication problems
that make their situation worse. It was
very engaging and I found myself “forgetting” to breathe and trying to stay
calm and quiet during tense moments. It
really makes you appreciate what our military does for us and the sacrifices
they make for us every day. It’s easy to
second-guess some of the decisions they made, but there was a lot of wondering
what I would do in the same situations, too.
I really don’t know. I was
exhausted after viewing this film. When the
movie finished, I just sat there… I’m
STILL thinking about it all…
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