The Pianist (movie)

Title: The Pianist

Directed by: Roman Polanski

Year, production: 2002, France/Germany/Poland/UK

Cast: Adrien Brody, Emilia Fox, Thonas Kretschmann and many more

Runtime: 150 min

I have added this movie because it shows cruelty of World War II in Warsaw, capitol of Poland and two very important moments in history of Warsaw.

The main character is Wladyslaw Szpilman played by Adrien Brody, one of the best pianists in Poland and maybe in Europe. The story starts in the year 1939, September when Germans come into Warsaw. Not far from that Germans started their anti Jewish politic by humiliating Jewish people, killing them and putting them in special district in Warsaw set by Germans. It was Ghetto. His family was put into rail freight cars and sent to German concentration camps. He was saved by Jewish policeman and then managed to get help from his polish friends which put him in the flat near the Jewish Ghetto but on the other side “free” side. He was a witness of Ghetto Uprising (April 19, 1943 - May 16, 1943) and then in the second apartment close to Germans police office and hospital he witnessed Warsaw Uprising (September 1, 1944 – October 3, 1944). After that he moved to different location where he got a help from German officer which hide him and fed him. Szpilman survived War and wanted to help this German officer but it was to late, Russians took him to a camp for German prisoners where he died.

There are many polish actors and actresses playing in that movie.

Rescue Dawn (movie)

Title: Rescue Dawn

Directed by: Werner Herzog

Year, production: 2006, USA

Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, ...

Runtime: 126 min

American pilot (born in Germany), Dieter Dengler (Christian Bale) after crush of his plane was captured and being hold prisoner during Vietnam War in Laos. He and other prisoners decided to escape but he didn’t realize that the true prison is the jungle. This movie is based on true story.
The movie has very nice pictures and music. The story is not the most intense but you can watch it with a pleasure and some tension.

Behind Enemy Lines (movie)

Title: Behind Enemy Lines

Directed by: John Moore

Year, production: 2001, USA

Cast: Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman, David Keith, Joaquim de Almeida, Gabriel Macht, ...

Runtime: 106 min

During the recognition mission US Navy fighter is shot down over enemy territory in Bosnia. Navigator Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) is escaping from enemy army. His commander (Gean Hackman) is trying to help him against orders given him from NATO.

Not bad movie, very nice scene of escaping fighter from the ground (surface) to air missile.

See similar movie from Vietnam war: http://allwars.blogspot.com/2007/02/bat-21.html

American Boys (book)

Title: American Boys

Author: Steven Philip Smith

Year: 1975

Steven Philip Smith served in 1966 in Vietnam. This book is his debut and is based on his experience. It is a story about four friends from different part of US and different environments. They got into the army because of different reasons and being boring in West Germany they volunteered to vietnam war where they were told to kill or die. This book is really realistic and shocking.

All Quiet on the Western Front (movie)

Title: All Quiet on the Western Front

Directed by: Delbert Mann

Year, production: 1979, USA

Cast: Richard Thomas, Ian Holm, Ernest Borgnine, Dominic Jephcott, Paul Mark Elliott, David Bradley, ...

Runtime: 150 min

Based on the novel by German writer by Erich Maria Remarque. It is World War I, German army fights with French. The movie shows absurdity of this war and how it changed people (boys who just graduated from secondary school). I must say that I didn’t like this movie maybe because it is Tv production but it trays to show brutality and psychological aspect of that war. I like more movie “The Last Battalion” but that is a different kind of movie http://allwars.blogspot.com/2006/09/lost-battalion-movie.html.

Swiss airforce

Look at this amazing video of swiss airforce:


Swiss Airforce - Free videos are just a click away

added by ghostknife

F16 Fighting Falcon

Polish army has bought 48 F-16 jet fighter aircrafts from US. All shouold be ready in 2012. Before we had 30 years old migs-21.
F-16 Faighting Falcon is one o the best light jet fighter. They were never shoot down by other plane only from the ground. They are fast and responsive. In Gulf War one pilot managed to escape from 6 rockets (ground-air) shoot one by one. Some say that we should have Gripens but did they ever fought in the real war?

Look at one in action. This flight was during roll-out ceremony.

Posted in youtube by mrbrown84

Letters from Iwo Jima (movie)

Title: Letters from Iwo Jima

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Year, production: 2006, USA

Cast: Ken Watanabe, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Kazunari Ninomiya, Ryo Kase, Hiroshi Watanabe, ...

Runtime: 140 min

The story of the battle of Iwo Jima told from Japanese soldiers perspective. The same background as in the movie Flags of Our Father but the movie different. More calm, shows how different was Japan culture but on the other hand as the Japanese soldier says, the letter written by mother of the American soldier doesn’t differ much from the letter written by mother of Japanese soldier.

Japanese left for certain death without support from the air and the sea, fought till the end with honor.

I saw it 2 days ago. The same as with Flags of Our Fathers release of this movie in Poland was late, 9th of March. It is hard to say which one is better. Probably it should not be consider like that. It is just a different movie that completes story started in Flags of Our Fathers.

The movie was nominated for Annual awards (Oscars) in several different categories like Best Motion Pictures of the Year, Original Screenplay, Achievement in Directing, Achievement in Sound Editing. Won in category Sound Editing. Client Eastwood got 2 oscars in the year 2005 for Million Dollar Baby for Achievement in directing and for Best motion picture of the year so it was almost impossible to get the oscar this year.

Flags of Our Fathers (movie)

Title: Flags of Our Fathers

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Year, production: 2006, USA

Cast: Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Barry Pepper, Neal McDonough, ...

Runtime: 132 min

Second World War February of 1945 and battle of island Iwo Jima. One of the most bloodiest battle in pacific war. The island was a holy place for Japanese and they didn’t wanted to lose it easily. On the island there is a Mount Suribachi on which marines put a flag after they captured the mountain. This moment (actually the second one) was pictured and used later as a cover for all newspapers in US. Three marines that survived the battle were later used as a tool in US propaganda to lift American so they would be after the war not against. US at that time started to have financial problems to continue war so government needs consent and help from American people.

I waited a long time for that movie. Premier in Poland was on 23 February. I saw it some day later and I’m not disappointed.
Battle scenes are very good. The part in the US interesting maybe sometimes boring but still interesting.

I liked that Client Eastwood tried to show every aspect of the story and that there are not just black and white colors but also grey.

Stalingrad (movie)

Title: Stalingrad

Directed by: Joseph Vilsmaier

Year, production: 1993, German/Sweden

Cast: Thomas Kretschmann, Dominigue Horwitz, Jochen Nickel, Sebastian Rudolph, Martin Benerath, Sylvester Groth, ...

Runtime: 134 min

End of 1942 year. German soldiers resting on Italy Riviera after campaign in Africa and battle in El Alamein. They are moved to East front to Russia and fights in Stalingrad. One day Reiser (Dominigue Horwitz) i Rohleder (Jochen Nickel) together with Lt. Hans von Witzland (Thomas Kretschmann) were moved to penal company...

The winter started and Germans are surrounded by Russians. Their orders are to keep the city for all costs.

This movie doesn’t have special effects and many shooting parts but it shows how hard was to be there just trying to survive. It shows also that victims of Nazi were not only Russians but also German soldiers.

Forrest Gump - Vietnam War

Video from Forrest Gump movie. A part of the movie where he is in Vietnam.

The movie is not available any more :( so here is a trailer with parts from Vietnam:

Posted in YouTube by PJS1987.

Blood Diamond (movie)

Title: Blood Diamond

Directed by: Edward Zwick

Year, production: 2006, USA

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou, Jennifer Connelly, Kegiso Kuypers, Antony Coloman, Arnold Vosloo, David Harewood, ...

Runtime: 143 min

Action is placed in Sierra Leone, South Africa, Guinea and Europe. It is year 1999, a civil war in Sierra Leone. Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou), a Mende fisherman wants to find his family after he managed to escape from diamond fields. Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is a mercenary from South Africa meets him in prison and find out that he hid a priceless diamond.

After getting out of a prison he helps Salomon to find his family but he has to lead him to the diamond. They managed to escape from Freetown which was taken by rebels. Together with met American journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) they are trying to find Salomon family and the diamond.

Danny Archer whose parents were killed when he was 9 years old is a well trained mercenary/soldier who fought in Angola, a tough guy. He leaves from selling weapons for diamonds.

The main message is that people die because of diamnods, gold and other rare things in Africa and that nobody cares or only few what is happening in Africa.

Some time ago I saw a documentary movie about civil wars in Africa and that children are forced to fight and kill, so that is true for those who don't belive.

I saw this movie in cinema yesterday and I’m really impressed of DiCaprio’s role. He is a very good actor, I think. I like the way he talks, interesting accent. I found that this language that he speaks (specially on the beginning of the movie, later as well) is called Krio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krio_language

Funny dialog with the rebellion guy . DiCaprio said Who are you? The guy: I’m a captain Rambo. DiCaprio: Oh yeah, I have seen your movies. (as far as I remember). It will be funny when you see it in the movie :)

I think that DiCaprio will get a lot of roles now. The movie is nominated in several categories like Best Actor (Leonardo DiCaprio), Best sound, Best editing and more. Will see if Leo gets the Oscar.

I defenitly must by a DVD with this movie.

We Were Soldiers (movie)

Title: We Were Soldiers

Directed by: Randall Wallace

Year, production: 2002, USA/Germany

Cast: Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Chris Klein, Sam Elliot, Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, Kerin Russell, Don Duong, Ryan Hurst, Rober Bagnell, Clark Gregg, ...

Runtime: 138 min

This is a story of the first big battle between American soldiers and North Vietnam soldiers. Marines from American combat division, were surrounded by 4,000 North Vietnamese soldiers...

Broken arrow, broken arrow...

I like this movie very much. Best actors in this movie for me are Mel Gibson, Sam Elliot and Barry Pepper.

The Iron Triangle (movie)

Title: The Iron Triangle

Directed by: Eric Weston

Year, production: 1989, USA

Cast: Beau Bridges, Haing S. Ngor, Liem Whatley, Jim Ishida, Ping Wu, Johnny Hallyday, Bobby McGee, ...

Runtime: 91 min

The story is based on the diary of an unknown North Vietnam soldier. This Viet Cong soldier colonel Tuong (Haing S. Ngor) protects captured marines captain Keene (Beau Bridges).

It is a low budget movie showing Vietnam war from Vietnamese perspective.

The Iron Triangle was an area in Vietnam close to Saigon captured by US Army and South Vietnam army in 1967. There were some headquarters of North Vietnamese in that places.

Everybody speaks English even Vietnamese in this movie.

Bat 21 (movie)

Title: Bat 21

Directed by: Peter Markle

Year, production: 1988, USA

Cast: Gene Hackman, Danny Glover, David Marshall Grant, Jerry Reed, Eric Andersson, ...

Runtime: 105 min

Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton (Gene Hackman) an expert in missile weaponry was shot down in 1972 when he did an reconnaissance flight so he had to parachute behind the enemy line. His only contact is a pilot capt. Clark (Danny Glover) from a observation plane. He parachuted in the middle of 30.000 North Vietnamese (invasion troops). Because of his knowledge it is very importand to rescue him before North Vietnames catch him. Hambelton has a radio and trays to escape. He got an instruction where is the place from which he will be rescued.

His radio call is Bat 21.

Good performance of Gene Hackman.

Battle of Britain (movie)

Title: Battle of Britain

Director: Guy Hamilton

Year, production: 1969, UK

Cast: Michael Caine, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plummer, Curd Jürgens, Ian McShane, ...

Runtime: 133 min (151 min original version)

Second World War. Germany attacks Great Britain.

The movie shows how British Royal Air Force fought against German Air Forces (Luftwaffe).

I must remind that Polish pilots also fought and died on the British sky. It was Polish division 302 and 303 and also many Polish pilots in British divisions. Exactly it was 144 Polish pilots from which 29 died. It was 5% of all RAF pilots who fought there. They shot down about 170 German planes.

I saw this movie several times on Polish TV when I was a boy and I really liked it.

The Guns of Navarone (movie)

Title: The Guns of Navarone

Director: J. Lee Thompson

Year, production: 1961, UK/USA

Cast: Anthony Quinn, Gregory Peck, David Niven, James Darren, Irene Papas, Stanley Baker, ...

Runtime: 158 min

The movie is based on Alistair MacLean's book "The Guns of Navarone", one of his best books. Special group (6 people, Allied and Greek soldiers) is sent to Greece which is under German occupation during Second World War. Their mission is to destroy huge German guns which protect big area of the sea and block an evacuation of British troops from islands close to the land. Guns can not be destroyed from the air.

Classic war movie. The best figure for me is Andrea played by Anthony Quinn. This movie is almost as good as the book.

Midway (movie)

Title: Midway

Directed by: Jack Smight

Year, production: 1976, USA

Cast: Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Charlton Heston, Glenn Ford, Toshiro Mifune, ...

Runtime: 132 min.

First big victory of US army over Japan in July 1942 after Pearl Harbor in World War II. The battle took place over the atoll Midway in the Pacific Ocean. Before that US bombed Tokyo and Japanese wanted to fight back. Japan wanted to destroy completely US fleet during that battle. They tired to mislead US by attack on Aleut but USA had radars and knew how Japanese move their forces. USA also broke their code so were able to listen to their commands. US attacked them first and sunk them 4 aircraft carriers and around 250 planes. USA lost one aircraft carrier and around 150 planes. Admiral Yamamoto had to end the operation and accept a defeat.

I saw this movie first time when I was a boy and I really liked it. Other thing is that we did not have that many US production in polish TV at that time but this movie is really good. Big roles of Henry Fonda as admiral Nimitz, Glenn Ford as a Spruance, Robert Mitchum as Halsey and Toshiro Mifune as Yamamoto. So maybe I will buy a dvd with that movie.

Tora! Tora! Tora! (movie)

Title: Tora! Tora! Tora!

Directed by: Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku

Year, production: 1970, USA/Japan

Cast: Martin Balsam, Tatsuya Mihashi, Takahiro Tamura, James Whitmore, E. G. Marshall, ...

Runtime: 144 min

TORA! TORA ! TORA ! is a Japan signal to attack.

US goverments ignors posibility of Japa strike. Japan comunicates about strike were cought but never sent to goverment. On Sunday morning in1941, 7th of December Japan forces (planes) attacked Pearl Harbor. US forces were completely surprised and unprepared. More then 2000 US soldier were killed during that attack. 4 US battleships were sunk and 4 other destroyed. The attack put USA in World War II.

This movie is a classic one.

AK47 vs M16

I always consider M16 as more accurate then AK 47 but in this video the difference is too big I think.
Anyway M16 is more accurate on long distances then AK 47. On short distances they are equal.

From that movie we can see that AK47 is more powerfull then M16 and that is probably true.

AK47 is probably much cheaper in production then M16.

In Vietnam War AK47 were more reliable then M16 because of weather conditions. M16 were improved later and now they are also reliable, perhaps even better.

Posted in YouTube by colacas: