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Reviews
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
My dad's Vietnam.
I give this a 9 because I saw this with my father, a Vietnam vet, who served in the Army. He was totally taken aback by this film as the sniper scenes really depicted his experience in Vietnam. To him, this film remains the most accurate portrayal of the city fighting and total fear such circumstances brought out in the soldiers. Also, the Matthew Modine character is very close to my father. He, too, served the press corps for the Army and like Modine, was embedded with several troops in combat situations. Stanley Kubrick was known a superb technician and perfectionist and this film is a great example of his brilliance. Additionally, the Marine bootcamp scenes are harrowing as well.
The Deer Hunter (1978)
A film about friendship and hard fought wisdom gained at great sacrifice
When The Deer Hunter was released back in 1978, I was in fifth grade and my father was a Vietnam vet. I grew up in a household where I was not allowed to watch Jane Fonda or watch Joan Baez when she sang on the Muppet Show. My dad was not a gung-ho warrior but instead, he never really spoke about Vietnam. This film defines the grim ironies of what it was to be an American in 1978. Our politicians led us down a tangled path of atrocities in Vietnam, Chile, Cambodia, and yes, even our own country. Ultimately, so many people's lives were destroyed in the process. The enduring friendship of these people in this film is the binding theme which is the "heart" of the story. However, each individual is forever changed by the Vietnam War. One loses his life, another his limbs and the third, his innocence. The rest of friends left behind in America are faced with a variety of bewildering circumstances. There are broken lives which may never be pieced back together. Ultimately, however, it is the love that these people feel and exhibit towards one another, despite sadness, hardship, pain or death, that saves the survivors and their loved ones in this movie.
A Boy's Life (2003)
A documentary following the lives of a dysfunctional Southern family raising a bright but slightly emotionally confused young boy.
There is nothing worse than out of control adults attempting to "raise" a child. The child always ends up the victim. The grandmother is particularly disturbed and disturbing!!! She is an emotional and psychological psychopath with an obvious narcissistic personality disorder! I swear to God, I wanted to reach into the television set and slap her for her abusive and destructive behavior. As I was watching this documentary, I admit that I really did not care about her or her life as she was very very ill and needed to STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOY. I really hope this kid GETS OUT OF THIS SITUATION, pursues his education (the biggest saving grace this child has to survive and ultimately thrive) and LEAVES THE TOWN. Lest I seem unfeeling, I do understand that grinding poverty can lead to many devastating choices, but honestly, the one main route out: EDUCATION (and yes, you can get out even with a "public school" education). Thank God for the teacher who provided this young boy with one positive adult role model.