Veterans Day 2015

Veteran's Day comes around and I think of a couple of things, I guess. The first is, obviously, to think about the men and women who have served our country in the armed forces, and the few that I have known personally. I also think about World War I, the war to end all wars, which led to Armistice Day, later Veteran's Day, being designated. And then I think of Doc. I had the pleasure of working with Doc in his 4th career, after a career in the Navy (two tours in Vietnam as a medic); a nursing career; a records management career; and lastly, a career as my sparring partner and mentor. Doc was from a family of 17 who grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and regularly dispensed folksy wisdom as he tried to educate and cajole the 'kids' in the Records Center (my Records Center, as I like to refer to it). Anyway, I always think of Doc because he was born on Veteran's Day and left a great impression on so many of us.

So, in honor (which sounds so pretentious) I'm going to recap some of the military-themed movies I've reviewed over the past few years.

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1  won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short for 2014 and I couldn't agree more. The film focuses on the crisis center that responds to calls for help from veterans and their families. It's a powerful reminder that even those these men and women are more than 'willing' to fight and defend our country, they are not always able to cope with civilian life after their experiences. It's as much a look at the veterans calling in as it is a look at the responders, many of whom are veterans. This should be required viewing for any congressman/senator looking to cut funding for veterans' services.

The Invisible War  was nominated for Best Documentary in 2012, and I believe it should have won. It takes a hard, unflinching look at sexual assault in the military. There is still so much work to be done in Congress (you know, when they're finished being asshats) and it may be a good time to watch this film and contact your Representative and Senators to ask them to support legislation from Senator Kirsten Gillebrand of New York.

All Quiet on the Western Front  won Best Director and Best Production (Picture) in 1930. It's set during World War I and shows the conditions of trench warfare. Some older movies are tough to watch because the production quality is not what we're used to with our 21st century technology, but I think it's very good and overall the movie is worth watching.

Unbroken is a bio-pic about Louie Zamperini, an Olympic runner and World War II veteran and a survivor of Japanese prison camps. Zamperini was an amazing survivor, having to dig deep in his mental, emotional and physical reserves. Zamperini is opposite The Bird a sadistic camp sergeant who has made it his mission to destroy Zamperini. There is also a book of the same name, and I think they complement each other nicely, the book goes into more detail about Louie's life after he gets out of the camps and it's almost as difficult as it was during the war. It's just a different kind of difficult. I recommend watching the movie and reading the book.

Fury was not an Oscar-nominee, and I did think it should have been recognized for it's sound editing and effects. Fury focuses on tank warfare during World War II, and I don't think there are many movies that have done that. Tanks are similar to submarines in that they are self-contained fighting units, but they can also be fiery tombs under the wrong conditions. When used in movies, they also create a sense of claustrophobia and tension which is good for storytelling. My brother and I liked the movie; it was pretty action-packed from the beginning, taking a break to pursue a different storyline, but then back to the action.

Other movies to check out:
Mrs. Minver  - set during WWII, starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
The Best Years of Our Lives  - set during WWII, this movie won seven Oscars and is a look at three WWII veterans as they try to fit into society after the war, starring Myrna Loy, Fredric March and Harold Russell, who was the first non-actor to win a competitive Oscar (Best Supporting Actor)
American Sniper - set during the war in Afghanistan and based on the life of Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL and sniper.