United 93

Part One:

• I really liked this movie. I feel like it did a really good job of showing not only the events that happened in United 93, but all the other planes and the detailed associated with what went down. Obviously I know the story of 9/11 prior to watching the movie, but I did not know how intricate and thought out the terrorists plans were. 
• The movie didn't necessarily make me feel different about what happened on that day, but it definitely made me more aware of the events that played out and how people reacted. I had no idea that the US airway was completely shut down. That's really crazy
• I thought the couple of men on the plane who took charge in creating an action plan to stop the hijackers was really interesting. In a situation like that, I find it extremely heroic to take charge and try to stop the men. These few men knew that they were probably going to die, but nevertheless they still took charge and tried to save themselves and others. They didn't just sit there and panic, they stepped up and tried to help even when knowing that planes had already crashed into the World Trade Centre.

Part Two:

• It fills me with both, but mostly despair. I honestly can't even think about what it was like for the people on the planes who had to go through the hijacking. I feel so bad for the people who were on the top of those buildings who literally had no way down. Its hard to even portray my feelings because I don't even know what to say. 

Part Three:

• Something that we should never forget is how this brought everyone in America together. The mix between anger/despair/sadness and rage influenced many people to come together. I know for a fact that so many people joined the war after this happened. 

Lone Survivor

Part One:

• I liked how in the beginning of the movie they showed the reality of what it takes to be a navy seal. I also liked how the movie showed that even though those men are involved in something really serious, they still are real people and can still mess with each other. (I'm referencing when the men were messing with the new guy and making him dance).
• The movie made me feel different towards men who go into war. I feel like every time I watch a war movie (American Sniper etc) I always feel so different and appreciative for people who go into war. There is so much that goes on that we will never be able to understand and they will never be able to talk about. Its crazy to me that people willingly go into war knowing that they will come out completely different.
• One interesting character was the "new guy" who was messed with and had to dance and recite the song in front of others. This eased a little seriousness of the movie off of the viewers while also showing some realities of what happens in the navy.
• I think this war is a good portrayal of how war is today. Now, when we are in other countries, we are sometimes just trying to kill leaders and certain people, and I liked how this movie showed how the capturing/killing actually works.

Part Two:

• This is a hard question for me to answer. I WANT to say that the portrayal of how the mental aspect after the soldiers come back from war and how hard it is for them to adapt back into the real world is something that is sometimes not portrayed. But, after watching American Sniper, I feel like that movie did a really good job of portraying how hard it is for soldiers to adapt back into society. I definitely think that this aspect could be more Incorporated in movies to follow.

The Hurt Locker

Part One:

• Well, since I missed more than half of the movie it's kind of hard to judge the movie as a whole. But, from what I did see I enjoyed it. I love movies with suspense, and the process of diffusing a bomb is the epitome of suspense, to me. 
• I didn't have much feelings towards the movie. I feel like I didn't have a lot of feelings because I've seen so many war movies lately, they are all kind of blending into one big movie. Except American Sniper. That movie was awesome.
• I did not see enough of the movie to really grasp one character and how that character progressed through the movie.

Part Two:

• Almost all war movies have the same effect on me, and its really hard to put those emotions into one word. I feel so many different emotions from war movies, it ranges from stressed to happy to sad to confused to patriotic. Any scenes where a soldier loses one of his partners is unbearable to watch. Their pain and sadness is always horrible.

Part Three:

• I'm going to be honest here. I have no clue what it could possibly mean. So I searched it to find out and this is what the director of the movie said it meant: " if a bomb goes off, you're going to be in the hurt locker. That's how they used it in Baghdad." So, basically its a slang word used in the army.

Apollo 13

Part One;

• Space in general really interests me. When I was little I would always look through the telescope with my father, so I really liked the movie. I really liked when they went into space and they were looking out of their windows into the space and could see earth. This may seem cheesy but I honestly felt like I was in the spacecraft with them.
• The movie in general made me feel really nice. When they landed in the water I could feel the tears, it was really emotional to watch them finally land after all they went through.
• Some lasting impressions is that I definitely have some sympathy towards the people in Apollo 13 and everything they had to go through during their journey. 
• Some content applications to today is to always do something that you want to do even if it is dangerous/people don't want you to do it. Either way, you will learn something from it. Hmm, I wonder if any of the people in Apollo 13 regretted their decision of going into space?

Part Two;

• I definitely think that the moral or theme of the story is that you can accomplish a lot with teamwork. Without all of the workers on earth helping them, they would not have been able to land safely. Without my teammates in softball, we would not win games. It takes a team to win, not just an individual. I learned this theme through my high school life and will not forget about it. Teamwork is key when it comes to family or even friends in order to accomplish any goal.

Parkland

Part one:

• Something that I liked from the movie was the screenplay and the way that they chose to show how the shooting of President Kennedy played out. I thought they did an awesome job of showing it from a perspective of someone who was watching President Kennedy rather than a narrator telling what happened. Something I didn't like was that sometimes the movie got a little bit boring.
• The movie didn't really have a lasting impact on me/made me feel any type of way.
• Some lasting impressions had me thinking about all the different types of conspiracy's in the world. There is even a conspiracy that ISIS is all run by the government. I wonder what other conspiracy's there are.
• The most interesting character was the role of Zach Efron. I noticed that he actually did  a very good job of portraying a doctor, I'm used to movies with him being a high school theatre boy!! Lol, but I think he did a good job of portraying the pressure that the actual Doctor had to go through during that time.
• I think that the moral of the story is that there is always more than what the eye can see. I feel like the movie showed that there was so much more than just some random person who shot the president. There was more too the story and there is more to any story that you here. I think that the saying "theres always 2 sides to every story" is a good quote. 
• I would recommend this movie to others. I was interesting, and Zach Efron was in it, so that's a plus!
• Some content applications to today is that there may be more to the story than what you see.
• Some themes are that there sometimes is more than what you see and also maybe something you believe can be all in your head.

Part Two:

• I would ask my grandparents, but my grandma won't answer her phone and my grandpa wouldn't remember and would probably just try to change the subject to what college I decided I'm going to. Both of my parents are out of town so I txted them in a group chat asking where they were. My mom was not born yet and my dad was 6. My dad replied saying "I have always felt a special connection with the Kennedy's. I have a story you won't believe. I will call you tomorrow." 

Kill The Irishman

Part One:

• I really liked the fact that this movie was from Cleveland was the most intriguing part of the movie. Overall, I kind of enjoyed the movie. I thought it got a little bit repetitive at times, though. I didn't like the fact that there was a lot of plot twists and sometimes I got a little confused with the movie.
• I didn't really have a feeling from this movie. I thought it was really weird that he basically had a double life. On one hand he was married with children, and then the next second he is getting himself involved with horrible, violent people. I feel like the only reaction I had from the movie wasn't really about what happened with Danny Greene, it was mostly me thinking " wow I can't believe this was based in Cleveland." After the movie, though, I asked my dad about Danny Greene and we had a nice conversation about him. So that was nice.
• Some lasting impressions from the movie definitely made me think more about what else has happened in Cleveland. I go to that building so many times for my orthodontist and my dentist. I NEVER would have expected something like that to have happened in that parking lot. I wonder what else has happened in Cleveland that I don't know about...
• A content application to today could be how Danny has shaped the way gangs in Cleveland are now, and how they've evolved because of him.

Part Two:

• I would describe Danny Greene as someone who was brave and was not scared to fight for what he believes in. Although he was involved in the wrong crowd, he never gave up even though so many people were trying to kill him. I think that he should not be defined by what he was involved in. I think that he has proven himself as a very strong and brave individual and I think that is how he should be remembered.

The Godfather

Part One:

• Honestly, I did not understand one bit of the movie. Therefore, I did not like most of it. I was really disappointed in the movie because of all the hype it gets. I didn't like how there was so many families and people associated with different families etc. In general, I find "mafias" very interesting, so I liked the general plot of the movie centered around the mafia. I did not like all the confusing parts. I do appreciate how authentic this movie is, though.
• Because of the fact that I could not get myself into the movie like I wish I could have, it made me feel really confused.
• Some lasting impressions on the movie definitely got me more interesting and curious about other mafias around the world. I think there are so many secret groups around the world that nobody knows about. I really enjoyed the movie Goodfellas and that movie also was intriguing for me and also got me interested in other mafias.
• I think that the only interesting character that I can remember is Vito Corleone only because of his accent and the cotton balls in his mouth. At first, I thought it was so stupid and really weird of him to have cotton balls in his mouth. But, after (attempting) to understand the movie, I get how vital it was to his character to have them
• This movie could relate to today in how there still are mafias around the world and secret groups performing secret operations. The other day my dad mentioned to me that ISIS is a secret government set up. Although I think this comment is absolutely idiotic, he has a point. There definitely are secret groups all around us that we have no idea about.

Part Two:

• Vito Corleone is the "moral" centre of the film because, to me, he seemed like the head of everything. Whatever he wanted, everyone else wanted. I think that in any large group there is always one leader who makes the big decisions and he was that person.
• The feeling of him dying was different than any other character dying because his was more peaceful and just overall way different. No, I do not think that the world was at peace because there is more to come.

Part Three:

• I think that being able to see what actually happens within mafias is definitely what makes this film special. I do not have an answer for whether or not I think this film is a classic because I did not fully understand it. I have to watch it alone a couple more times in order to make that decision. 

42

Part One:

• I really enjoyed the movie overall. I remember reading a book about Jackie Robinson in 5th grade, but never really learning anything more about him, I just knew of him and who he was. I liked how this movie started from when he was younger and we got to see him grow up and watch the struggles he went through as an African American man. I liked how it gave us a new perspective into what it was like for African Americans during that time period. The one thing I didn't like is that I felt like the movie was a little bit boring at certain times.

• During the movie, I felt very frustrated with some characters in the movie because of how poorly Jackie was treated by some people. By the end of the movie, though, I felt good because in the back of my mind I knew the outcome of the movie, and it was nice to see how he grew up and how things ultimately played out for him and other African Americans during this time.

• Some lasting impressions is an overall better understanding of how difficult it was for African Americans to find sports to play during that time. Now, there isn't even a question about sports in relation to race, but back then it was such a big deal for some people and I think sometimes people forget about that.

• The character that sticks to me the most is... wait for it... Jackie! Lol. But seriously, his story is so inspiring and sometimes I feel like it isn't brought up enough. The fact he is so important to not only just the MLB but to our country's history that nobody can ever have his number (except opening day) really shows how much of an impact he had on our nation.

• Some content applications to today is that although our school systems/sports are fully integrated, I think that Jackie serves as a motivator for others to never stop trying to achieve  something that they want/believe in because in the end it will work out for the best.

Part Two:

• Without a doubt Jackie Robinson helped our country. He was the stepping stone that our country needed to finally start integrating races into sports and to finally stop seeing baseball as a "white" sport. Some lessons that are important to learn from Jackie is to never stop doing what you love to do. There are kids who wish to play sports or involve themselves in activities that are generally seen as a sport or activity for the opposite sex. I feel like Jackie is inspiration for them to continue to pursue the activity because it doesn't matter what other people think of you, its what you think of yourself. And if you wish to do something, similar to Jackie, you should pursue that activity no matter what other people say to you/about you.

• I disagree. I understand where he is coming from, but I honestly feel like your life is about how you impact yourself and what you think about yourself. Take Robin Williams, for example. He made other people so happy with his sense of humor and ended up impacting so many people with his movies. But, as we know, he was not happy on the inside. Therefore, I think that there needs to be a balance between being happy with yourself as well as having an impact on others.

Part Three:

• Jackie's values could definitely relate to my own barriers. I am the captain of the girls' softball and golf teams, so it definitely takes almost all of his values mentioned to be the leader that I wish to be. At times, I need to remind myself that I must have values like courage and determination in order to prosper as a team. Being a leader involves teamwork, even in a sport like golf. I am the catcher in softball, also. The catcher serves as the leader during the game, so by reminding myself of what it takes to be a leader would definitely help me with the barriers that I come across during games.

Cinderella Man

Part One:

• Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I think i've mentioned this before but I love Rusell Crowe and any movie that he is in makes it 10x better. This was the first movie that we've watched they made me really not want to stop watching and move on to the next class, so I think that shows how much I enjoyed this movie. I also liked how this movie did a really good job of representing what it was like for normal families during the Great Depressions. Although I liked almost all of the movie, the one part that I didn't like watching was the horrible fight scenes, but I know that the movie wouldn't be as good if they didn't have those scenes.

• During the beginning part of movie, I felt really bad for Jim and his family. They were really struggling to gain any revenue and it was hard for them to feed their children. This part kind of reminding me of the movie Pursuit of Happiness. In it, Will Smith is down to his last 5 dollars and is constantly struggling to feed his son. At one point, they are completely homeless and I felt so horrible for them both because Will was trying so hard to make money and feed his son. At the end of the movie, though, I obviously felt very happy for the family and especially Jim.

• Some lasting impressions that I got from the movie was really how boxing affected Jim's wife. A lot of people (including myself) never really understand how dangerous it is for someone with a family to play a really dangerous sport. One scene that really stood out to me was the interview scene where the interviewer asked Jim's wife how she felt about the boxing challenge. She didn't know what to say and throughout the movie she didn't really have a say in whether or not he should box because he might not come back. Nowadays, obviously sports aren't as dangerous but nevertheless athletes still get hurt. I think that people need to be more aware of the consequences before entering a dangerous sport.

• To me, the most interesting character was Jim's wife. Although she did not say much, I understood that she was very worried and frieghtened for her husband. During the scene where they are at dinner before the big fight and Baer says to his wife something about her being a widow was really memorable and I think that her character as a whole represents all of the wives and even husbands that constantly worry whether or not their loved one will come back from a sport/war alive.

• Some content applications to today could be what people would do for money in hard times. Jim went into that fight knowing that he may not come out alive and his kids could potentially not have a father for the rest of their lives. I think this shows how desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures. Also, I think that this can also show how you should always stick to what you believe in because things will always get better if you just wait it out and try.

Part Two:

• I think that his story was very encouraging for people to carry on even in the midst of despair because their family was at rock bottom at the beginning. But, they didn't give up and in the end it worked out in their favor. The thing about his story that was most encouraging was that the Braddock family was so deep in the depression that it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But, by having hope and not giving up things will, eventually, work out for the best. 
• Braddock could serve as a symbol of hope for the masses because he was just an ordinary guy who was struggling to feed his family and get a job during the depression. For families in the masses, he was a symbol for hope and even motivation for them to think "this guy got through this, so can we." I think that he is a symbol for all people to stay determined and not give up, even when some people tell you that you can't do it.

War Horse

Part One:

• I liked the emotional side of the story. As i've mentioned previously, animals are my life. I love them. So, any animal story, good or bad, is going to grab my attention. The bond between the horse and his owner was both heartwarming and entertaining for me. Obviously, though, I did not like the killings of the horses. I know that in order for this movie to even happen, horses needed to "die," but I still hated to watch them struggle and get killed
• During the movie, I felt horrible. I HATE watching any type of animals die (and people, too). I also felt pretty upset that joey and his horse were not together, but still remained hopeful, I think that because this movie had an overall story of a boy and his horse, it made me feel good at the end of the movie when they were finally reunited.
• Some lasting impressions that it had on me was definitely more of an awareness/concern for animals in war. Yes, people got hurt in war. And that is incredible tragic. But, animals were hurt too. This kind of makes me wonder what kind of medical treatment we had for animals during this time. Actually, it makes me wonder if we even had ANY medical treatment for horses during this time, or did we just let them die?
• Does a horse count as an interesting character? This might be my 6th time mentioning this but i love horses and I think that the story of this horse making it all the way through this war was very interesting, yet pretty unrealistic. Nevertheless, the horses strength and bravery was awesome.
• Some content applications to today really is how a special bond between a person and an animal really can be. I love my dogs and consider them a major part of my family. This also makes me really grateful that my mother treats our animals with extra special care, because I know they deserve it. 

Glory

Part One:

• There were many things things that I liked about the film. For starters, I liked how realistic the film was. I liked how I was able to put all the things that I've learned about with the authorization made my Lincoln into real life. I liked how you got to see what the soldiers went through before and during the war. The way that they showed how hard it was for them and how horrible they felt at the beginning of training to all of the patriotism they had. The growth of the regime throughout the film was interesting to watch.

• The movie, overall, made me feel pretty good. Obviously, people were lost in the war. But I don't think that that's what the movie was trying to depict. I think that the way that the soldiers showed patriotism and risked their lives was really great.

• Some lasting impressions that I have is that the movie really got me thinking about how little the African Americans had and how poorly they were treated. Despite being poorly treated, they didn't try to revolt against the people who were brutally treating them. They just let it happen to them even though they knew they shouldn't have been treated that way. They weren't given proper shoes, and their feet looked horrible. How happy they were when they finally got proper shoes is what really stuck to me. I didn't really understand that even though they were allowed to be in the army, they really weren't treated like they should have.

• I really liked Thomas. I think that with everything happening to him and everything going on around him and how poorly he was treated, he still maintained his "cool" and was very smart with his actions. I also think that Shaw was a very important character. Without his determination, I don't think that people would have realized the real value of blacks in the army.

• Some content applications that it may have to today is that I think it shows how hard it is to train for war.  Nowadays, it doesn't matter what color you or or even what gender you are, training for army is hard and brutal. I think that what came across from the movie is how much work is put into war and armies. 

Part Two:

• Honestly, I don't think there even is an answer to why people are willing to die for their country. It's what they believe in and I don't think that they could even explain it. I feel like this kind of relates to if you ask someone why they are religious, or why they do/don't believe in God. It's just what they believe in and it's who they are. However, some people do have a reason why they would die for their country. For example, when 9/11 happened SO many people enlisted in the army because something happened to our country. But, for the most part I think it is just the way people are.

• I think that they are definitely hero's. They paved the way for many other African Americans and proved that color doesn't mean anything when it comes to war.

• I think that Shaw was a hero because he also proved to other men that they should fight/stand up for what they believe in. He paved the way for other leaders to stand up and fight for African Americans.

Part Three:

• I think that the significance of this story isn't actually about the battle at Fort Wagner and what happened there, but it was the bigger picture that was significant. The leadership of the 54th at the battle of Fort Wagner was that they were the first leaders to step up for what they believe in and it proved to others that everyone should fight for something that they want/believe in. I think that this group was heroic and brave and their story is very unique to our country and its history.

Braveheart

Part One:

• After watching this movie, there are many more things that I disliked about the movie than I liked. For instance, the historical content of the movie was very insightful because I really had no prior knowledge of any of the historical content of the movie whatsoever. Honestly, I really did not like the Scottish accents. I feel like if the characters did not have such strong accents then I would have liked it way more than I actually did. Also, I am a HUGE animal lover so seeing all the horses was not amusing at all.

• Overall, the movie made me a tiny bit sick to my stomach. I think the mixture of the horrible accents, the brutal killing of the people and especially the unnecessary killings of the horses did not make me feel good at all.

• Honestly, the only real lasting impression I got on the movie was the actuality of the war between the Scottish and English. I gained at a lasting impression of new knowledge from this movie. 

• I think that the main character (Wallace) was very interesting. I think that his nationality and willingness to fight for his beloved country is very motivational and inspiring. Nowadays, I feel like less and less people are involving themselves in war for the purpose of fighting for their country. I think his character was an overall very interesting person and that's what made the movie so good for a lot of people

• Some content that it could have to today is to show how dedicated and motivated soldiers can be to fight for what they believe in. This movie proves that there really are people who fight for what they believe in and it serves as inspiration for others to put their everything into what they believe is the right thing to do, even if they may look strange to others.

Part Two:

• By saying the quote "Every man dies, but not every man lives," I think that it can be taken in many different ways for different people. I think that he meant that in the end obviously you are going to die, so why not fight for what you want and actually live your life the way you want to. The Scottish were sick of being controlled by the English and felt like they weren't "living" because of the English control. To them, in order to live their life the way they want to, fighting for independence was the way to actually "live"

• This quote could definitely apply to my life as a senior. Coming up on my final months of high school and completing this stage of my life, this quote serves as a way for me to live the last of this stage in the best way possible.

The Gladiator

Part 1:

• There are several things that I liked and disliked about the movie. For starters, I enjoyed the overall plot of the movie and the action and battles within the film. Usually history movies that are set way back in the day can be pretty boring to watch, but I think that all those fights and bloodshed kept me intrigued and wanting more. Also, I personally admire Russell Crowe and I think he was a perfect fit for the role of Maximus. Some things that I did not like about the movie was that I think they could have done a better showing all the different types of gladiators (what they really looked like and what armor they fought with) and also all the special features of the Coliseum. The way the Coliseum was build is so fascinating and I wish they would have shown a little bit more of that.

• By the end, I felt very good about the movie because of the ending. I really disliked Commodus so when he died I was pleased. Also, I was happy that Maximus had a happy ending and he could finally be reunited with his wife and son.

• Every time I watch this movie, I always have so many questions to ask Mrs. Pool about Rome and all of its symbols. It seems like every time I watch the movie there are new symbols and meanings about Rome so my lasting impressions are always new questions to ask and new meanings to analyze about Rome.

• I think that the most interesting character is Maximus Aurelius. Although he wasn't in the actual movie very much, I think that he was a very interesting Emperor of Rome. From learning about him in Latin class, I know that he was involved in many wars and battles and he always had Rome's best interest in mind. He also wrote the Meditations which was a very interesting book.

• I think that the application of the movie to today is to fight for what you believe in and don't give up. Maximus started as the lowest level of gladiator and earned his way to the highest ranks and I think that it can be applied to many different situations today.

Part 2:

• I think that the overall message or theme of the movie is to never give up no matter what. Maximus could have just let someone kill him in a battle and end his life in order to be with his family again, but he fought for himself as well as the Roman Empire because he truly believed that Rome could prosper. His determination and willingness to fight gives a message to others that you can't just be handed something you want, you must fight for it.

Initial Thoughts

I took this class because I have heard a lot of positive feedback from other students who took this class and I am expecting to gain a lot of knowledge and insight on important movies with historical backgrounds.