Title: Forrest Gump
By: Samantha Streahle
During the film Forrest and his mother rent out their homes to people passing through the town. Elvis Presley is depicted in the movie as one of the men who stay at their house. In the movie they make it seem like Elvis got his famous dance move from Forrest. Forrest is shown shaking his legs and dancing while Elvis is playing the guitar. He seems very interested in what Forrest is doing and asks them to keep doing it. While walking down the street Forrest and his mother see Elvis on the tv doing the dance move that he showed him.
When Forrest got asked to play for the All-American team they used actual footage of the real team meeting the president. They cut the footage to make it look like Forrest was really there. It showed players talking to the president and were able to make it look like he did too.
The assassination of JFK was briefly shown in the film because it took place during the time period in which it really happened. They included real footage of the president being shot. Forrest was telling a story when he mentioned the assassination but he was not really there when it happened.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
Movie Review: "Platoon"
Title: "Platoon"
By: Samantha Streahle
We've just viewed the film "Platoon" and this was definitely one of the more intense films I've seen. It depicts the Vietnam War and the soldiers struggles with the war and themselves. The film focuses on one character in particular, Chris Taylor. He soon finds out whether his decision to volunteer for the war was such a good one or not.
"Platoon" is based off of the events that occurred in the Vietnam War. Chris Taylor, played by Charlie Sheen, is a college student that has decided to drop out and join the war effort. He felt that it was not fair that only the poor had to fight. What seems like a good idea at the time soon turns out to be more than he expected. Being the new kid he feels isolated from the rest of the group. Some of the things he witnesses he will never be able to unsee. Chris confides and highly respects one the men named Elias. He and Barnes always seem to butt heads and it is almost a portrayal of good and evil. This war tests the men and puts them in unimaginable situations.
Charlie Sheen was one of the main characters in this film that I felt did a very good job. You could see his characters growth throughout the film. He first started off as very timid and as he was exposed to more he lost all of his inhibitions. It was clear that he was almost losing his mind at some points. As time went on you could see him maturing and learning to stand up for himself about what he knew was right and what he knew was wrong. The actors who played Barnes and Elias also did a good job. They were almost symbols of good and evil.
This film had it's positives and negatives. It accurately depicted things that really occurred during the war no matter how harsh they were, The movie was very realistic. Some of the scenes were very graphic and it was hard to watch. The scene where they went into the village and completely destroyed it was one of the hardest. Watching them kill the people and do awful things to them was not easy. Whether they were helping the enemy or not they were still human and it did not make it right.
This movie showed that you really need inner-strength to be able to do these things. Being involved in this really changes you as a person. It also taught that you have to stand up for yourself and what you know is right. The character Chris was able to mature and find this out throughout the film.
I would recommend this film to anyone who is interested in the Vietnam War. It gave a lot of insight to what really happened during the war and some things that might not have been shown to the public. I would forewarn people before watching that the movie can get very intense. The rating of the movie is R.
4 out of 5 stars
By: Samantha Streahle
We've just viewed the film "Platoon" and this was definitely one of the more intense films I've seen. It depicts the Vietnam War and the soldiers struggles with the war and themselves. The film focuses on one character in particular, Chris Taylor. He soon finds out whether his decision to volunteer for the war was such a good one or not.
"Platoon" is based off of the events that occurred in the Vietnam War. Chris Taylor, played by Charlie Sheen, is a college student that has decided to drop out and join the war effort. He felt that it was not fair that only the poor had to fight. What seems like a good idea at the time soon turns out to be more than he expected. Being the new kid he feels isolated from the rest of the group. Some of the things he witnesses he will never be able to unsee. Chris confides and highly respects one the men named Elias. He and Barnes always seem to butt heads and it is almost a portrayal of good and evil. This war tests the men and puts them in unimaginable situations.
Charlie Sheen was one of the main characters in this film that I felt did a very good job. You could see his characters growth throughout the film. He first started off as very timid and as he was exposed to more he lost all of his inhibitions. It was clear that he was almost losing his mind at some points. As time went on you could see him maturing and learning to stand up for himself about what he knew was right and what he knew was wrong. The actors who played Barnes and Elias also did a good job. They were almost symbols of good and evil.
This film had it's positives and negatives. It accurately depicted things that really occurred during the war no matter how harsh they were, The movie was very realistic. Some of the scenes were very graphic and it was hard to watch. The scene where they went into the village and completely destroyed it was one of the hardest. Watching them kill the people and do awful things to them was not easy. Whether they were helping the enemy or not they were still human and it did not make it right.
This movie showed that you really need inner-strength to be able to do these things. Being involved in this really changes you as a person. It also taught that you have to stand up for yourself and what you know is right. The character Chris was able to mature and find this out throughout the film.
I would recommend this film to anyone who is interested in the Vietnam War. It gave a lot of insight to what really happened during the war and some things that might not have been shown to the public. I would forewarn people before watching that the movie can get very intense. The rating of the movie is R.
4 out of 5 stars
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Movie Review: "Against The Wall"
Title: "Against The Wall"
By: Samantha Streahle
The film "Against The Wall" is based on the true story of the Attica Prison riot. One of the newest guards, Michael Smith, and a few of his other colleagues get caught in the middle of the riot. As the inmates begin to take control the guards struggle to contain and fight for their lives.
The Attica Correctional Facility is located in Attica, New York. The uprising took place in 1971 when the jail was still operating. Following in his fathers footsteps, Michael Smith takes on the job as a guard at the prison. He does not have much time to prepare himself for what's about to happen. The inmates are fed up with the conditions and the way they are treated. When they've finally decided they've had enough they intend to do something about it. Nothing could prepare the guards or anyone for what happens in Attica.
All of the actors did a good job. I felt the actors who played the inmates did exceptionally well. When the main conflict occurred I was immediately drawn in by how well they acted. I couldn't stop watching to see what they would do next. There was constantly something going on.
Out of all of the movies we have viewed so far this has been one of my favorites. It was full of action and there was always something to keep my attention. As soon as the conflict began it never slowed down. It was one thing after another. From the start of the riot until the end I couldn't stop watching. Even though some of the scenes were very graphic it was very realistic because those things did happen.
The theme or moral of this film is that enough is enough. People eventually reach a point that they can't take anymore and will do anything to get what they deserve. Even though these inmates did awful things they were still human and still deserved to be treated with some sort of decency. The guards finally felt what the inmates have been feeling for all those years when they gave them a taste of their own medicine.
This film could be viewed by anyone. I never thought that it would catch my interest as much as it did. I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to give it a watch. Anyone who is interested in the events that took place during the Attica Prison riot would find this film very useful. Most of the film accurately represented what happened. This movie is rated R. Overall I really liked this movie.
5 out 5
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School, She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
Out of all of the movies we have viewed so far this has been one of my favorites. It was full of action and there was always something to keep my attention. As soon as the conflict began it never slowed down. It was one thing after another. From the start of the riot until the end I couldn't stop watching. Even though some of the scenes were very graphic it was very realistic because those things did happen.
The theme or moral of this film is that enough is enough. People eventually reach a point that they can't take anymore and will do anything to get what they deserve. Even though these inmates did awful things they were still human and still deserved to be treated with some sort of decency. The guards finally felt what the inmates have been feeling for all those years when they gave them a taste of their own medicine.
This film could be viewed by anyone. I never thought that it would catch my interest as much as it did. I would recommend it to anyone who is willing to give it a watch. Anyone who is interested in the events that took place during the Attica Prison riot would find this film very useful. Most of the film accurately represented what happened. This movie is rated R. Overall I really liked this movie.
5 out 5
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School, She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty
Title: "Zero Dark Thirty"
By: Samantha Streahle
We've just viewed the film "Zero Dark Thirty." This film follows rookie CIA agent, Maya, on her journey to find Osama Bin Laden after the attacks of 9/11. She spends many years searching, torturing, and hard work attempting to reach her goal. This film will take you through all of the blood, sweat, and tears put into this mission.
After the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the goal of the CIA was find and capture the head of Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden. Maya is new to the agency and is assigned the task of finding him. At first witnessing the tactics they use is very difficult for her but she learns to accept that they are necessary. She is faced with many trials and errors throughout her journey. These experiences only make her more determined and lead to her obsession with finding and capturing the master mind behind all of this.
All of the actors and actresses did a good job in retelling the story. In particular, Jessica Chastain, Maya did a phenomenal job. She really gave this part her all physically and emotionally. You could see the stress she was put under in her face and the way she handled things. One of the other main characters Dan, played by Jason Clarke, also did a very good job. He was very adamant in his acting and really had to put any emotions or feelings aside for this part. His character had to torture the prisoners and to be able to do that you have to have little or no conscience. Even though it was just acting it still had to be difficult to fake it.
I really enjoyed this movie because I am interested in learning about the events that took place on September 11, 2001, and the details that not everyone has been made aware of. For the most part the film accurately represented the events that took place in capturing Osama Bin Laden. The only complaint I would have is the scene where they actually shoot and kill him. It is not really made clear that it is him and there is some confusion. No one specifically says it is him and there's just a lot of screaming. They quickly take his body and get back into the helicopter. It all happens very quickly. Aside from the confusion I really enjoyed the rest of the movie.
The main lesson or theme I took out of this film is perseverance. No matter how difficult things got or how much she wanted to give up she never did. The whole team did whatever they could to make the mission a success. It took a lot of time and team work to make the whole thing happen but they never gave up on each other. They went in with a goal and even though it took many years they didn't give up until they reached it.
I feel that anyone would would enjoy this movie. Anyone who is interested in learning more in depth about the attacks on 9/11, like myself, would find this movie to be useful. The majority of the movie was very accurate so you would be able to take a lot out of viewing it. I would not recommend it to anyone who cannot handle violence and very graphic scenes because there were quite a couple. Some of the scene's were very intense but they were realistic. The rating of this movie is R. Overall, I found the movie to be very good and would recommend it to others.
4.8 out of 5 stars
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School. She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
By: Samantha Streahle
We've just viewed the film "Zero Dark Thirty." This film follows rookie CIA agent, Maya, on her journey to find Osama Bin Laden after the attacks of 9/11. She spends many years searching, torturing, and hard work attempting to reach her goal. This film will take you through all of the blood, sweat, and tears put into this mission.
After the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, the goal of the CIA was find and capture the head of Al Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden. Maya is new to the agency and is assigned the task of finding him. At first witnessing the tactics they use is very difficult for her but she learns to accept that they are necessary. She is faced with many trials and errors throughout her journey. These experiences only make her more determined and lead to her obsession with finding and capturing the master mind behind all of this.
All of the actors and actresses did a good job in retelling the story. In particular, Jessica Chastain, Maya did a phenomenal job. She really gave this part her all physically and emotionally. You could see the stress she was put under in her face and the way she handled things. One of the other main characters Dan, played by Jason Clarke, also did a very good job. He was very adamant in his acting and really had to put any emotions or feelings aside for this part. His character had to torture the prisoners and to be able to do that you have to have little or no conscience. Even though it was just acting it still had to be difficult to fake it.
I really enjoyed this movie because I am interested in learning about the events that took place on September 11, 2001, and the details that not everyone has been made aware of. For the most part the film accurately represented the events that took place in capturing Osama Bin Laden. The only complaint I would have is the scene where they actually shoot and kill him. It is not really made clear that it is him and there is some confusion. No one specifically says it is him and there's just a lot of screaming. They quickly take his body and get back into the helicopter. It all happens very quickly. Aside from the confusion I really enjoyed the rest of the movie.
The main lesson or theme I took out of this film is perseverance. No matter how difficult things got or how much she wanted to give up she never did. The whole team did whatever they could to make the mission a success. It took a lot of time and team work to make the whole thing happen but they never gave up on each other. They went in with a goal and even though it took many years they didn't give up until they reached it.
I feel that anyone would would enjoy this movie. Anyone who is interested in learning more in depth about the attacks on 9/11, like myself, would find this movie to be useful. The majority of the movie was very accurate so you would be able to take a lot out of viewing it. I would not recommend it to anyone who cannot handle violence and very graphic scenes because there were quite a couple. Some of the scene's were very intense but they were realistic. The rating of this movie is R. Overall, I found the movie to be very good and would recommend it to others.
4.8 out of 5 stars
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School. She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Movie Review: Glory
Title: "Glory"
By: Samantha Streahle
We've just viewed the film Glory and I would like to give an opinion about it. This movie portrayed the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Infantry. Being that they were one of the first black units organized they endured more than the average soldier. Along with fighting for their lives they had to deal with the prejudices within the unit. Colonel Robert Gould Shaw would be appointed as colonel of the 54th and would have to deal with all of the baggage that came with it.
The movie "Glory" takes place during the time of the Civil War. While he is back at home visiting his family twenty-six year old Robert Shaw is introduced to Frederick Douglass. Shaw is s member of a prominent Boston abolitionist family. He's offered a promotion to the rank of colonel and is put in command of the first all black regiment. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts was organized in March 1863. The volunteers continue to grow until they have enough recruits for an army. The regiment was composed of mostly free blacks throughout the north. Not only does Shaw have the responsibility of training and leading these men but he also has to deal with all of the trials and tribulations that come with having an army of black men. Not all of the other men showed respect to them for that reason. They struggled to get proper materials and uniforms for this reason. The men had the option to leave but when asked none of them did. They all stayed, endured the hardships, fought until the end, and became a family.
I felt the actors in this movie did a very good job. They all put a lot of emotion into their characters. You could really see it in Matthew Broderick (Col. Shaw). When he had to make a decision he didn't want to you could see the pain and sympathy in his face. He always wanted to do the right thing even if he couldn't sometimes. All of the main characters such as Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, and Andre Braugher portrayed their characters extremely well. One actor that stood out in particular was Jihmi Kennedy. He portrayed every specific detail down to his studder and shaking when he was nervous. I felt he made it seem very real.
The movie overall was very well done and the actors did a very good job. All but a couple of the scenes were pretty accurate. For me personally the movie did not interest me that much. It didn't really keep my attention. Aside from my personal opinion it was a well done movie.
The main lesson that I think everyone could learn from this movie is that race does not matter. We're all fighting for the same purpose and the same freedom. If you have someone's back you have their back it doesn't matter color your skin is. Skin color does not determine the type of person you are or what you're worth. Everyone deserves an equal chance at having the same opportunities.
Anyone who enjoys history would enjoy this movie. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't because you most likely won't enjoy it. It was not a bad movie at all it just depends on how you feel about them. The movie is rated R.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School, She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
The movie "Glory" takes place during the time of the Civil War. While he is back at home visiting his family twenty-six year old Robert Shaw is introduced to Frederick Douglass. Shaw is s member of a prominent Boston abolitionist family. He's offered a promotion to the rank of colonel and is put in command of the first all black regiment. The Fifty-fourth Massachusetts was organized in March 1863. The volunteers continue to grow until they have enough recruits for an army. The regiment was composed of mostly free blacks throughout the north. Not only does Shaw have the responsibility of training and leading these men but he also has to deal with all of the trials and tribulations that come with having an army of black men. Not all of the other men showed respect to them for that reason. They struggled to get proper materials and uniforms for this reason. The men had the option to leave but when asked none of them did. They all stayed, endured the hardships, fought until the end, and became a family.
I felt the actors in this movie did a very good job. They all put a lot of emotion into their characters. You could really see it in Matthew Broderick (Col. Shaw). When he had to make a decision he didn't want to you could see the pain and sympathy in his face. He always wanted to do the right thing even if he couldn't sometimes. All of the main characters such as Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, and Andre Braugher portrayed their characters extremely well. One actor that stood out in particular was Jihmi Kennedy. He portrayed every specific detail down to his studder and shaking when he was nervous. I felt he made it seem very real.
The movie overall was very well done and the actors did a very good job. All but a couple of the scenes were pretty accurate. For me personally the movie did not interest me that much. It didn't really keep my attention. Aside from my personal opinion it was a well done movie.
The main lesson that I think everyone could learn from this movie is that race does not matter. We're all fighting for the same purpose and the same freedom. If you have someone's back you have their back it doesn't matter color your skin is. Skin color does not determine the type of person you are or what you're worth. Everyone deserves an equal chance at having the same opportunities.
Anyone who enjoys history would enjoy this movie. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who isn't because you most likely won't enjoy it. It was not a bad movie at all it just depends on how you feel about them. The movie is rated R.
3.5 out of 5 stars
Samantha Streahle is a junior at Sterling High School, She works at Chick-Fil-A and is involved in a total of three sports. Since middle school she has played basketball and softball and has just recently gotten involved in volleyball. When she's not working she enjoys hanging out with her friends. While she doesn't mind just relaxing she also likes adventure and new opportunities.
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