Feb. 10, 2009

Hello again everyone, Dan Meyers here and welcome to the fifth installment of my movie blog!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and is looking forward to the rest of the season. I know we are.

It's been a while since the last blog and I took some time to think about what the next topic would be. I felt one genre that I haven't touched upon that is one of my favorites is War films.

I can't help but be emotionally drawn into every war movie I watch. Many times, they are based on true accounts and really make you think about everything these men and women did during the horrific times throughout world conflicts.

I chose three pieces of work that I believe are some of the most realistic and well done. I strongly suggest these movies and after you watch them think about what the great veterans of our nation then and now go through in order to provide us with the luxuries we often take for granted.

Make sure to check out Alex "Big Bear" Berry's movie quote of the week below! Also, I wanted to switch up the format of the blog a bit, so I chose a few teammates and asked them various questions about movies and entertainment. This will give us an idea about what some of the Umass Hockey players do to keep them entertained.

My Top War Films:
1. Saving Private Ryan - Check It Out On IMDB.com
This 1998 World War II drama instantly became a classic in the war genre. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this movie tells the story of one platoon's mission to save one man in the middle of the Allied forces invasion of Europe. The movie begins right away with the historic landing of Allied troops on Normandy beach. The film includes a cast that is second to none. Starring Tom Hanks as Captain Miller who leads a platoon that includes actors Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, and Giovanni Ribisi. This film creates a battle torn Europe that is so realistic that it is hard to believe your watching nothing else but the real thing. The movie includes a solid cameo from Matt Damon as Private Ryan. This is one that will defiantly keep your attention from the first minute until credits. Warning: This move includes extremely graphic violence that might be disturbing to some.

2. Apocalypse Now - Check It Out On IMDB.com
I chose this film over other Vietnam based movies because I feel the story within the film is extremely interesting. The main focus of the film is not the war itself but an internal conflict within the U.S. military. Martin Sheen stars as Captain Ben Willard. He leads a small group of soldiers up a river in Cambodia to assassinate a Colonel who has supposedly lost his mind, played by the legendary Marlon Brando. Francis Ford Copola, who has taken a lot of heat for the film from critics who claim it's politically incorrect, directs the film. The critics could have a point, but I believe it all depends on how you look at it. The film is well done and hailed as a classic due to the brilliant acting and powerful story. Be sure to check this one out.

3. Band of Brothers - Check It Out On IMDB.com
This HBO miniseries is one of the best pieces of film I have ever seen. It is based on a novel written by Stephen Ambrose about the U.S.'s first ever paratrooper division. It takes place in World War II and is a true story down to every detail. Easy Company is followed from their first day of training until the very end of the war. This miniseries includes an excellent cast full of mostly unknown actors although you might recognize some faces. The series shows the bond between soldiers that only exists during times of war. These men would do anything for each other and that special bond is one of the biggest reasons the Allied forces won the war. This miniseries is a must buy for anyone interested in War films. Also, I just read a book written by two of the actual soldiers in Easy Company, William Guarnere and Edward Heffron, called Brothers in Battle, Best of Friends that I strongly suggest.

Other films you should check out: Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Tora! Tora! Tora!, Letters from Iwo Jima, Glory

5 Questions with Chris Davis
1. What actress would you want cast as your wife? - Charlize Theron
2.What is your favorite action movie? - Terminator 2: Judgment Day
3.Who are some of your favorite bands? - U2, Armin Van Bueren, Wang Chung
4. Should Heath Ledger win an Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker? - No
5. Would you rather see a movie in the theater or rent it? - Depends on the movie

5 Quesitons with Brett Watson
1. What actress would you want cast as your wife? - Jessica Biel
2. What is your favorite car chase scene? - The Matrix 2 highway scene
3. Would you rather play a villain or hero? - Hero
4. Should Heath Ledger win an Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker? - Yes 5. What do you think the price of a movie ticket should be? - 5 dollars

5 Questions with Dan Meyers (asked by Brett Watson and Chris Davis) 1. What is your favorite movie series? - Star Wars
2. Who are some of your favorite bands? - The Killers, Rage Against The Machine, Radiohead, Pearl Jam
3. If you had the chance to fight any movie villain, who would it be? - Dr.Evil and Mini-Me
4. Should Heath Ledger win an Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker? - Yes
5. What do you think is the most overrated movie? - American Beauty

5 Questions with Scott Crowder
1. What actress would you want cast as your wife? - Jessica Alba
2. What movie do you enjoy but wouldn't want anyone to know your watching? - Euro-Trip and Accepted
3. What are some of your favorite bands? - Goo Goo Dolls, Something Corporate, O.A.R., Bon Jovi, Kenny Chesney
4. Should Heath Ledger win an Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker? - Yes
5. What should the price of a movie ticket be? - 5 dollar Tuesdays, everyday

Alex " Big Bear" Berry's Movie Quote of the Week:
From the movie Youngblood: Jessie Chadwick: It's only a game...
Dean Youngblood: It's all I ever wanted to do.

Thanks again for checking out the blog, hope you enjoyed this week's installment! Be sure to join us at the Mullins Center this Friday as we host No. 3 Northeastern - we had over 7,000 fans there when we beat them two weeks ago and we hope you can all come out and support us again on Friday.

See you at the Rink! Dan

Check Out Blog No. 4 - Dec.9 - Comic Book/Superhero Movies

Check Out Blog No. 3 - Nov. 19 - Seven/Philadelphia

Check Out Blog No. 2 - Oct. 30 - The Shining/28 Days Later

Check Out Blog No. 1 - Oct. 19 - Kingpin/Last Samurai