Did a chunk of work yesterday, so I chose a theme for background noise, as usual; this time, it was "modern" conflict.
Hard to work though when you're tearing up.. even just listening to key parts of these movies (or the music) hits me emotionally.
Tears of the Sun - 9/10; still the best Navy SEALs movie out there. A gorgeous representation of the jungles of Africa, its people and their culture, mixed with the best and worst humanity has to offer. Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci turn in fantastic performances, as well.
Movies like this one proved to me years ago that Rotten Tomatoes' score isn't always the "end-all-be-all" authority on movies.
Black Hawk Down - 10/10; I have a friend who served in "the Mog" around this time, and he saw this movie once, and he said "once is enough". He wasn't involved in any of the rescue teams, though he said everyone on his base, himself included, wanted to drop everything and head to that city to get them out.
The movie's excellent, from start to finish. Hartnett does a great job, but this movie is what made me a fan of Eric Bana.
Saving Private Ryan - 10/10; I've been to the beaches of Normandy ("Omaha"/"Utah") and the US National Cemetary there, for the 60th anniversary of the landings there. Some wonderful ceremonies were taking place there that summer (2004; France was one of the countries my wife and I honeymooned at). Plus, we found that they hadn't cemented up EVERY German beachhead bunker, and got some great pictures inside of one.
Go there! Hit up Italy too, while you're at it.
Yes, I'm rambling.
SPR is a fantastic movie, though.. I always forget the wide range of stars that have bit parts in it. This time around, I recognized Paul Giamatti.
