Saving Private Ryan

The mission is a man.


In WW2, three of the four Ryan brothers have die within days in battlefield, the only survivor Private James Francis Ryan is the new mission for Captain John Miller!

Saving Private Ryan is the best war film ever!!!
This is a movie that you must watch before you die....no doubt!!!

The movie starts with the old Ryan mourning for the soldiers at Normandy memorial.
There is a very notable shots that zoom slowly in to Ryan's eye to show his pain and emotion.

The similiar shots repeat in Captain Miller's(Tom Hanks) eye, in the invasion of Normandy, only the facial expression is diffrent this time.
(If you can recall, later this shots is used by My Chemical Romance's MTV "Ghost of You")

The opening 20minutes of Omaha beachhead assault is breathtaking!!!
Probably the best war scene you will ever watch!!!
The cinematography that Spielberg used allow you to feel the battle, to feel the soldiers' fear, to feel the intensity of war!!!

Sound of guns, rifles, snipers, bombs and grenade is like a great symphony that gives you perfect audio pleasure.
The explosive scenes are all well-done with smoke and dust, body parts are all flying here and there, blood and liver spreading out all around the ground.

Vin Diesel and Matt Damon acted in this movie too, when they were young and not a big superstar yet.
But the most impressive performance should be credited to Barry Pepper, who act as a fantastic sniper marksman!!!

There are some scenes that worth for us to discuss and think....

1. Vin Diesel was trying to rescue a little girl in a town, and he ignored Tom Hanks' order to leave her alone....in the end....he get killed by the German soldiers.

2. When the medic was injured badly, he asked a soldier to give him more morphine to ease his pain. But the soldier is in dillemma because he think that the medic cannot be rescued and it is a waste to give him morphine.

3. A German soldier is captured and Tom Hanks' squad want to kill him, but he surrender and beg for mercy. He said he hate Hitler, he said he like America, he said how much he admire America actress and singers, he even sing Star Spangled Banner.....

4. Tom Hanks let the German soldier leave....but.... in the final battle, it shows that the German soldier is recruit to German army and he success to kill Tom Hanks.

5. Private Ryan is found, but he refused to go home because he think he do not deserved this "privilege"

6. The language translator who never get army training joined the squad. He felt guilty when he saw his friends were killed, and he cannot do anything, but looking the German soldier pass infront of him.


All of these scenes show the dillemma situations that are faced by soldiers in the war battle.
Is there any ethics and human moral thinking that they must and they should consider?

Ofcourse, conflicts between Jews and Nazis is portrayed mildly in the movie as well.

The story is already good, and the scriptwriter add all these meaningful and heartbreaking sub-storyline to the movie....it's nearly perfect!!!

One last thing that I must mention, is the massive setting of the movie.
Absolutely masterpiece!!!
You will never find such a great setting in any other war movie....

This is a classic, the greatest movie of all the time!


Go slap yourself if you have not watch this movie!!!
(joking....i know it's not funny)

p/s:
Recently I'm busying for E-learning, it sucks, and it cause me emotional abuse.
Please bear wit me....

Slumdog Millionaire

Jamal Malik is one question away from winning 20million rupees.

How did he do it?

A: He cheated
B: He's lucky
C: He's genius
D: It is written

10 Oscar nominations, won 8.

Best Picture

Best Director

Best Original Score

Best Original Song

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Cinematography

Best Editing

Best Sound Mixing


Most of the time, people dare not to criticize an award-winning movie....
I admit, I watch this movie after it won.

but,

If you ask me,
"Did the movie deserved Oscar or not???

I will say "Yes, they deserved...."
but I prefer Benjamin Button.

Why?

Benjamin Button's cinematography and music are much more excellent,
the whole movie is like a masterpiece of art....
everything is nearly perfect if you compare it to other nominators.

But why Benjamin Button lost those big awards in Oscar?
First reason is because it was starring by Brad Pitt, and other Hollywood stars or actors.

You will always have big advantage at box office performance if your movie is starring by a movie superstar.
But in movie awards, semi-pro actors have the advantage!!!

But the main reason that makes Slumdog Millioanire become the multi-awards winner,
is the story....

Well, the story sounds fine for me,
not bad....not that great.

But, it hits the correct timing.

Why did I say that?
because the world is in economic crisis now, especially America....

and, Oscar is an America movie award.

When you look back to the previous Oscar,
almost every year,
the panel prefer the movie that is recognized by American!!!

Which is why,
if you success to hit the target,
the award is yours.

Everyone is discussing about Slumdog Millionaire and Benjamin Button recently.
But, it is hard to judge Slumdog Millionaire today because,

if you say the movie is good,
people might think that you are an opinion-follower.

if you say the movie is bad,
people might say that you don't have taste.

One thing I don't like about their cinematography,
is that they used alot of Dutch angle.

Most of the time,
filmmakers learn how to use Dutch angle,
but they do not learn why.

Dutch angle is a very eye-catching, and a very aggresive technique.

Why Slumdog Millionaire use it?
I have no idea....
I just don't like it.

Well, if you want to read a more expressive review,
you can visit Mun Yi's blog (in my friend's list)

and the answer is,
D: it is written