Born on the Fourth of July tells the fascinating life story of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who becomes paralyzed during his second tour of duty and is wracked with guilt over the accidental death of a young soldier on his own side. At times it is difficult to watch him descend into darkness, but that's attributable to fantastic writing that provides insight into who Ron Kovic was as a person, not just a historical figure. When he becomes a political activist and speaks out against the US government, he seems to come into his own and the film draws parallels to his childhood and the potential the people around him felt he had all along.

It's a bit myopic…

With the success of Platoon, Oliver Stone was in a position to make whatever film he wanted. Born on the Fourth of July is his promise to fellow veteran Ron Kovic - a young Long Island boy who served in the Vietnam War. This film follows Kovic from his days as a zealous teen who eagerly volunteered for his country. It was a bullet which paralyzed him from the chest down, but worse, a nation's disrespect which broke his heart. Kovic returns to an environment vastly different from the one he left and truly struggles before emerging as a brave new voice for the disenchanted.

From the obligatory slow motion scenes in Massapequa to the confusing raid on civilians, there's…

Installment in my Actor Arc Challenge

Well, that was...interesting. I can't say that this film interested me too much. I had hoped for more. It didn't really draw me in at all.

All I could think of for so much of this film was about Terminator. John Williams's theme to this film had a portion of it that is highly reminiscent of Brad Friedel's Terminator theme.

And that has got to be one of the worst, if not the worst mustaches and haircuts that I have ever seen in film. Wow that was awful.

I am not a Tom Cruise fan. He does have a string of films that I do enjoy quite a lot: Top Gun, Rain Man, Mission…

My dad was pretty conservative about what I was allowed to watch when I was a kid, but those standards went out the window if he thought the subject matter was important for me to learn about. Subjects that justified R-rated content, for my dad, included Vietnam (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July), the Mafia (GoodFellas), the old West (Unforgiven), law enforcement (Lethal Weapon) and fraternities (Animal House). Come to think of it, I think he'd just say "screw it" when he didn't want to wait until after 8pm to watch something. Anyway, I saw Born on the Fourth of July when I was six years old and, even without much historical context, it made a big impression on…

Installment in my Actor Arc Challenge

Well, that was...interesting. I can't say that this film interested me too much. I had hoped for more. It didn't really draw me in at all.

All I could think of for so much of this film was about Terminator. John Williams's theme to this film had a portion of it that is highly reminiscent of Brad Friedel's Terminator theme.

And that has got to be one of the worst, if not the worst mustaches and haircuts that I have ever seen in film. Wow that was awful.

I am not a Tom Cruise fan. He does have a string of films that I do enjoy quite a lot: Top Gun, Rain Man, Mission…

Fourth and last film in Phips' Adapted April Challenge.

I kind of dreaded going back to this, because I have seen this in theatres and did not have very fond memories of it. I recognized the craftmanship but did not enjoy the experience at all. And while I still have some issues with the film - and the movitations/politics behind it - the things that annoyed or distanced me from this film back then don't really do that to me anymore. I am glad this challenge 'forced' me to rewatch this.

Tom Cruise is quite amazing here as the Kovic the Vietnam veteran that goes through a change and end up on the complete opposite position of the debate he…

Born on the Fourth of July tells the fascinating life story of Ron Kovic, a Vietnam veteran who becomes paralyzed during his second tour of duty and is wracked with guilt over the accidental death of a young soldier on his own side. At times it is difficult to watch him descend into darkness, but that's attributable to fantastic writing that provides insight into who Ron Kovic was as a person, not just a historical figure. When he becomes a political activist and speaks out against the US government, he seems to come into his own and the film draws parallels to his childhood and the potential the people around him felt he had all along.

It's a bit myopic…

Oliver Stone is first and foremost a chronicler of the American Experience of the last 50 years. Perhaps that is why "Alexander" failed to resonate with audiences (although I confess I haven't seen it or a handful of other Stone films). It is impossible to separate "America" from any of his hits. JFK was about American royalty brought down and the search for an explanation, and the right to question authority. Wall Street was about Greed in America and how the Dream that anyone can become rich allows those who never will buy into it. Born on the Fourth of July is about a country at war with itself.

Ron Kovic is the perfect standard bearer for such a theme,…