Memorial Day

Americans honor those who died while serving in our armed forces on Memorial Day, some people confuse Memorial Day for Veterans Day, this looks like a job for Dan America! 

I've decided to define Memorial Day through movies, the following is a list of movies that I have seen, that I feel are the most Memorial Day appropriate. If you have not seen any of these movies yet, then don't read this, because this list includes some spoilers.

If you don't mind the spoilers, then read on.

• Saving Private Ryan

This is possibly the most appropriate because of the on-screen  death toll, the D-Day scene is one of the most accurate portrayals of the storming of the beach where 2,499 Americans lost their lives.

That is a rough estimate, but I think it illustrates the point.

Now here is the spoiler: Most of the main characters in Saving Private Ryan die, they lose their lives to save one life, so that a mother does not have to lose all of her sons to the War. If you want to understand Memorial Day, watch Saving Private Ryan. 

• Inglourious Basterds

If you don't want a tearjerker that will leave you wanting to hug a vet, Inglourios Basterds is for you, it's all the horrors of WWII featuring a cast of bad ass characters that will make you proud to be an American.

It's a fictional story, loosely based on facts, but how is it relevant to Memorial Day?

Spoiler Alert, most of the main characters die, but they give their lives for America.

• Apocalypse Now 

I would like to appoint Apocalypse Now the liberal Memorial Day movie, because it highlights the horror..... the horror....

And Marlon Brando's character, Colonel Kurtz is still technically serving America when he is..... Spoiler Alert, killed.

Apocalypse Now is a grim odyssey of the horrors of war, if you have never seen it, I highly recommenced it. Especially if you want to be that 'stick in the mud' who wants to remind everyone that war is wrong.

• Platoon 

Platoon is kind of like Apocalypse Now but the big difference is that Apocalypse Now is more of an odyssey.

Platoon is a straight up, movie about war.

I like Platoon and feel that it is a great representation of what Vietnam Vets had to go through and why you should honor them, instead of spitting at them like they did in the 60's and 70's.

Shame on you hippies.

Now don't worry if I left any of your favorite movies out, this was my list to help people understand the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

If you want to split hairs about it, here is a link to another list. 

F.Y.I. The Patriot is not a good movie to watch on Memorial Day, because like all of Mel Gibsons historical movies, it's not accurate.