Remember the Titans

 

You don't have to be a fan of football to be a fan of this film.

 

 

An all time favourite of mine is Remember the Titans. The Disney classic is based on a true story. Focused on the T.C. Williams football team in Virginia, the film shows an insight to the newly integrated school. The year is 1971.

Ryan Hurst plays Gerry Bertier, successful linebacker, number 42 and leading character within the story. He is one of my favourite characters as you see him develop for the better throughout the film.
Denzel Washington play Coach Boone, the new, intelligent and brave coach of the Titans football team. And Ryan Gosling also has a smaller part within the film for all the female fans.

The real 1971 Titans team members made it very clear that the characters in the film are loosely based on living people. For anyone who has seen the film, you may find it interesting that number 12, 'Sunshine' was not gay and never kissed Gerry in the changing rooms. I still think that Kevin Ian Pardue portrays a warm hearted and lovable character.

It is true that Coach Bill Yoast's daughter Sheryl was a huge football fan and was first to run down to the pitch after a game. Unfortunately Sheryl Yoast passed away at the age of 37 in 1996 but her father is still living today.



Still from the film. Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst playing Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier.

The team also stated that some scenes were created purely for dramatic effect, such as the team dancing on the pitch, Emma shaking Julius' hand and the run to the cemetery. I think the scenes do just that; they make the film even more touching even if they're not true. After all, it's based on a true story, it's not an accurate retelling.


Remember the Titans is honestly a film I can put on any time of the day. I just can't believe it took me so long to hear about it. I'd highly recommend this whether you're a football fan or not.




Slight Spoiler Alert...

I feel it is only fair to mention the beautiful foundation that is now running in Gerry's now. If you love the film as much as I do and want to learn more about Bertier himself, visit the website below.

http://www.gerrybertier.com/

Saving Private Ryan



Such a realistic depiction of combat, that veterans had to leave theatres.

Today, there are many war films that hit the cinema screens and sprawl across the shelves of stores.

So many, that it becomes hard to narrow down one to sit down and watch. But, I promise you, I hadn't seen such a realistic interpretation of war, until I saw Saving Private Ryan.

When the film was in the cinemas, veterans left the theatres during the opening scene, stating that it was the most realistic depiction of combat they had ever seen. The opening scene is a true eye opener; and so is the rest of the film.

 

Clearly with eleven Academy Award nominations and five wins, it is not just me that found this film incredible. In the 1999 Academy Awards, the film won Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Effects. The wins all make sense after watching the film as they highlight the best features.

 

If you've watched the film then you may find it interesting that Steven Speilberg purposely did not allow Matt Damon to attend pre-production Boot Camp for actors in Saving Private Ryan so that the remaining cast would build up genuine resentment for his character. If you haven't watched the film, the cast is amazing; made up of leading actors such as Tom Hanks and Matt Damon. There are also other well recognised actors such as Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper and Adam Goldberg. All the actors gave flawless performances depicting reserved characters.

 

 

 

 

You may recognise this actor from the T.V. Series 'Friends' as he played Phoebe Buffay's younger brother, Frank Jr. But in Saving Private Ryan, I came to realise that this character is one of my favourites as Giovanni plays a heart warming medic. He isn't really a key character in the film, but all the other characters are fond of him and he shows a more sensitive perception on combat. 

 

I really love the film and it is high up with my favourites. All in all, even if you think that war films aren't your genre, I highly recommend Saving Private Ryan. However, I 'll briefly warn you of a detailed insight that at times makes you jump in shock. But it is worth the watch.