230 of 1001 Movies: Cranes Are Flying (1957)

One of the benefits of doing a huge movie list is being exposed to moves from all over the world that show many perspectives of one event that much of the world lived through. Cranes Are Flying shows Russia's impact on families as men were drafted to war. This isn't a war movie in the traditional sense of showing us what it was like to go to battle. Instead this turns the spot light on the families that were left at home after the men able to go to war were drafted.

Summary: Veronica and Boris are in love, and they have plans to marry. They're life seems like a dream, until one day the Soviet Union is called to war. Instead of waiting to be drafted, Boris volunteers to go to war. This angers Veronica, but many men were wanting to fight with the pride they felt for their country. Veronica is left to an uprooted life though, and one that will make many transitions without Boris. She find her and her family are both going to face their own horrors of war attacks right in their home, and while Boris is gone Veronica finds that suitors are wanting her attention she is unable to give.

197 of 1001 Movies: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The Bridge on River Kwai is know as a war classic. It depicts a part of war that most wouldn't ponder over it and it brings up good questions about work ethic and warring itself. The only thing was it wasn't until the last 15 minutes or so that I felt really excited about the movie. Before that I was chugging along for 2 hours hoping for anything to get my attention. It does some nice character development because by the end you can see how a person might have been misled or how the other feels justified in the choices they have made.

Summary: The Japanese have been trying to get their POW's to build a bridge. This bridge is crucial to Colonel Saito to build to save his own life, but he mistreats the prisoners into rebellion. When he sees that he is in a losing battle he lets Colonel Nicholson out his torture unit and back with his army to command them after he failed at convincing him to work. Colonel Nicholson takes his dedication to work seriously, and how his men are perceived, so he sets everyone up to be motivated to build the bridge. What he doesn't know though is that his army is plotting to destroy the bridge though.