As a movie and famous people lover, I was so excited to start watching 'Glory', as I think Morgan Freeman is magnificent, and I really like Denzel Washington. I also like movies that tell a story. I thought that overall, it was a good movie. It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful. I thought Matthew Broderick was such a bad choice for a man who is supposed to be tough as nails at points, and then has a change of heart. The entire movie I never was confident that I knew where he stood, because his acting wasn't clear. I also thought that the movie, although interesting, was a lot of nothing. I'm not sure how I would describe the plot. They were training, and then they were ripping their checks, and then some battles. I think the big moment was obviously the last battle, but then the movie just ended. I would have liked more background on the troops and the men. It is hard to care about characters when you don't really know anything about them. One scene that really left an impression on me was when they were singing around the camp fire. It seemed so real and natural, and I momentarily forgot they were actors. Overall, it was a nice movie that I enjoyed watching, but would have no desire to see again.
I think that people will die for their country have much more love, pride, bravery, and respect for their country than I do for mine. They see the good in the country, and the positive that can hopefully come out of them fighting. Of course I have so much respect for veterans, and people who fight, but personally I just don't think fighting will ever get anyone anywhere in the long run. But nonetheless, in some ways I think the 54th are heroes for risking their lives to fight for freedom, but on the other hand, they completely abandoned their families who were in slavery. I do understand that they were fighting to demolish slavery, but that is just something that I think about, that sense of leaving. So yes I think the men of the 54th are heroes, for fighting and knowing the consequences, but I do not think Shaw is a hero. He was so high and mighty for so long, and treated them with such disrespect, that even when his actions changed and he became more accepting, I just didn't like him the entire time.
I believe the significance of this story is to show the initial change in behavior towards African-American men, and their dedication to freedom and equal treatment, as well as obviously ending slavery in the South. The story progresses over time and highlights several men as key leaders, who courageously stand in the front line during the battle at Fort Wagner, knowingly risking their lives and their rights as free men. But in this instance they show the Confederates that they will literally fight to the death in order to restore freedom and equality across the Nation, regardless of the pigment of your skin. Their actions and bravery, coupled with the leadership of the men highlight the most important and thought provoking scene in the entire movie, in my opinion.
I related to many of the things Nicole said in her post. I completely agree that Matthew Broderick was an awful choice for the main character. He definitely did not show enough confidence in the film and he made me feel uneasy throughout the film. I also agree that the movie didn't have enough to it. It was just a lot of training and a few battles. I think it could have used some more emotion. Yes, the whole story is touching but watching it I couldn't feel the emotion. I am a crier when it comes to movies and I wasn't even close to crying in this. Like Nicole, It felt like it was missing something. She also made a great point about the bonfire scene. Looking back on it I do think the scene felt very real and had a lot of emotion, probably the most from the whole movie.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to what you said on your post! Throughout the entire movie I felt that Matthew Broderick wasn't the right choice for the film. I felt a little uncomfortable watching him act in it. The emotion wasn't right watching him playing Shaw. Everyone else's character was perfectly chosen!! I think that the movie overall great but there were some aspect missing!
ReplyDeleteI agree with many points Nicole makes in her blog. I knew she would have valid points as well because of the fact i know she shares a passion for films and actors. I agree with her that Matthew Broderick did not give a great performance as Shaw. Many other actors would have taken that role to a much greater extent and I was dissapointed with the performance Broderick gave. Also, the scene that lasted an impression on me was the fire scene as well. I would say that scene gave Denzel the oscar but that’s just me. Although she did not like the film as much as I did, I respect her opinions and think they are all justified.
ReplyDeleteI agree with several points Nicole made in her post. I definitely agree that Matthew Broderick wasn't the right actor to play Shaw. I don't think he portrayed a tough demeanor and I had no feelings for his character. Watching him was a little awkward and didn't seem right. Also, I agree with Nicole in that I wish we got to know the African American soldiers better. Obviously the situation they were in alone made me feel something for them, but I would've cared for them more had I had some more insight into their backgrounds. I also wrote about the campfire scene in my blog post and it was definitely one of the most moving parts of the film. As for Shaw being or not being a hero, I had a hard time deciding this. I felt like he was a hero in the end of the movie but for a long time I thought he treated the soldiers terribly which I was very confused about, especially during the scene where one of the men was whipped. I didn't quite understand his stance. Aside from these few things, I thought it was a pretty good movie!
ReplyDelete