"Gardens of Stone" - 1987

Gardens of Stone - "I am not a "peacenik", Captain; I just don't agree with the reasons behind this particular war, and I feel if we're gonna fight it we oughtta damn fight it right." 

 

 A Francis Ford Coppola directed movie that is an underrated Vietnam War movie. A grim portrayal of the effect of the war on those training in the states and on their loved ones. Stars James Caan, Anjelica Huston, D.B.Sweeney & James Earl Jones. Sergeant First Class Clell Hazard (James Cann) feels he is not contributing the ongoing war and wants to train troops at Ft. Benning. Hazzard feels that good soldiers are being sacrificed in an unwinnable war. Jackie Willow (Sweeney), is a member of his platoon whom he feels he can train up to survive in Vietnam. Willow in turn trains the platoon screw-up Private Albert Wildman to be a soldier.  Wildman goes to Vietnam and earns the Medal of Honor.  Willow marries the Colonel's daughter, goes to Officer Candidate School and goes to Vietnam where he is killed.  Willow felt it is his duty to go fight even in a wrong war.  The movie ends after Willow's military funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.  The reference to Gardens of Stone are the grave markers.  Hazard then volunteers to go back to Vietnam.  Cann was outstanding as the hardened 3 war combat veteran senior NCO. When I was a 2LT at Ft. Bliss I was the OIC of the base funeral detail. It is a solemn but not a fun duty. Presenting the folded flag to the next of kin is difficult.

 John,

"The Shawshank Redemption" - 1994

The Shawshank Redemption - "Andy Dufresne, who crawled through a river of s*** and came out clean on the other side."

 

Starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton & James Whitmore. An innocent banker Andy Dufresne (Robbins) is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife.  He becomes friends with a fellow prisoner, Ellis "Red" Redding (Freeman). He becomes indispensable to the warden, Samuel Norton (Gunton) who is laundering money from the prison.  Robbins plans his escape over a number of years.  A poster of Raquel Welch from the movie "One Million Years B.C." plays a key role in his plan. An excellent prison movie about patience and hope. 

John

"The Dirty Dozen" - 1967

The Dirty Dozen - " Very pretty, Colonel. Very pretty. But, can they fight? 

 

Stars Lee Marvin along with Robert Ryan, Charles Bronson, & Donald Sutherland to name a few of the ensemble all star cast.. Many of them had served in WWII. Marvin and Ryan had served in the Marine Corps. Savalas and George Kennedy served in the Army. Bronson served in the Air Force and Ernest Borgnine in the Navy. Major Reisman (Marvin) must take a group of misfit military prisoners and train them before a behind enemy lines mission to assassinate some high ranking German officers.  The prisoners some of whom are facing death penalties will get pardons on completion of the mission.  Robert Ryan was excellent as the aloof Colonel at the base where the group was to train. Only one survives the mission for the pardon.  Entertaining action movie for a comedic/war thriller. Film was nominated for 4 Academy Awards and won for Best Sound Effects.  Lee Marvin and Charles Bronson were particularly good. 

John,

"Bell, Book, & Candle" - 1958

Bell, Book, & Candle - "Hasn't this cat got anything better to do? Couldn't you give him something to read?" 

 

This is a wonderful romantic comedy with some drama starring Kim Kovac. Who didn't have a crush on Kim Novac.  She is stunningly beautiful in this film. James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Elsa Lanchester, and of course Pyewacket are the stars of this movie. This is as close to a chick flick I can get but Kim Kovac was fabulous as Gillian "Gil" Holroyd.  James Stewart is probably a little old to play Shep Henderson.  He was twice Kim Novak's age in what was his last romantic lead role.  The pairing does work for the film.  The cat for most of the film was played by Kim's own cat.  This is a very good film that the plot moves along at a good pace. The story line has witches lose their powers if they fall in love and marry.  Does Gil give up her powers for love?  Watch and find out.

John,

"Saving Private Ryan" - 1998

Saving Private Ryan - "Hey, Doc, I got a mother, all right? I mean, you got a mother. Sarge's got a mother. I mean s**t, I bet even the captain's got a mother." 

 

Steven Spielberg's epic about D-Day but centered on the mission to find one soldier and bring him home.  Cpt. Miller (Hanks) and 6 other Army Rangers have to find on soldier Pvt Ryan (Damon) and bring him back for return home.  Ryan's 3 brothers had been killed in the war and General Marshall orders Ryan found and brought home.  Stars are Tom Hanks, Ed Burns, Tom Sizemore, and Matt Damon. All did a excellent job.  They received some military training prior to shooting the film from an ex-marine. The Omaha Beach landing scenes are brutal to watch. Once of the most realistic portrayals of the intensity of combat that occurs in just a few minutes of time. As Cpt. Miller dies he tells Ryan to "earn this".  The film ends with Ryan visiting Miller's grave in Europe years later. The entire cast was outstanding in one of the greatest war movies ever made.

"Open Range" - 2003

 

Open Range - "Men are gonna get killed here today, Sue, and I'm gonna kill 'em." 

 

 

 

A 2003 western made in the mode of classic westerns directed by Kevin Costner. Starring Kevin

Costner Robert Duvall & Annette Bening. Open range ranchers/cowboys versus the evil land baron is the movie's plot line.  Entertaining western but with some violent gunfight scenes. Gunfight scenes were filmed in real-time so the action seems to occur faster than you think it would and creates one of the most exciting gunfights ever seen on film.  Film received an R rating for the gunfight violence. 

"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" - 1949

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon - "You made a fool out of a couple of young lieutenants. That's never against Army regulations." 

 

Probably the best one of John Ford's great cavalry trilogy. Starring John Wayne in one of his best roles. Starring an excellent cast that includes Ben Johnson, Victor McLaglen, John Agar, Harry Carey Jr. & Joanne Dru. John Wayne was superb as  Captain Nathan Brittles a career Army as officer facing retirement. Victor McLaglen also was great as the Irish sergeant and the Monument Valley scenery was spectacular.  A great western movie that can be watched many times.