Movies

Anthony and I have Netflix, so we watch quite a few movies every month. Here are a few that I would recommend, based on our recent rentals:

Cloverfield, 2008
Director: Matt Reeves
Cast: T.J Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplain

Quote: "Okay, just to be clear here, our options are: die here, die in the tunnels, or die in the streets. That pretty much it?"

This was a surprise to me, because 1) I had never heard of the movie until it showed up in our mailbox and 2) I’ve never been a fan of monster movies, but I absolutely loved Cloverfield.  I was really impressed with the character development as well as the way the two story lines were woven together. I often feel like there is a disconnect between real relationships and those seen in movies, but the characters in Cloverfield capture human emotion, friendship, and love beautifully. I whole-heartedly recommend this one.

Apollo 13, 1995
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Katherine Quinlan

Quote: "So long, Earth. catch you on the flip side."

I saw this movie when it first came out and wasn’t particularly impressed, but I guess time has changed my views significantly. Apollo 13 masterfully captures what was almost a tragedy for America’s space program in the 70s. It’s both entertaining and educational, so if you haven’t seen it in a while, check it out!

Blood Diamond, 2006
Director: Edward Zwick
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly

Quote: "I understand White people want our diamonds, yes. But how can my own people do this to each other?"

This is an extremely violent, disturbing story about conflict diamonds in Africa. It’s definitely not for younger audiences, but it has great historical importance. It’s hard to imagine the cruelty that people have shown one another throughout the course of history when it comes to natural resources.
Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou’s character) is a moral beacon in this film as he seeks to reunite his family. He demonstrates his devotion to this cause time and time again: "He is my son. I am his father. I must go find him. Go ahead, shoot me if you want, but I will go find him."
Blood Diamond is so moving; it’s a definite must see.