5 Movies You Should Watch on Memorial Day Weekend
Plus, The Weekly Wrap
The Best Substack Article of the Week
What to Watch on Memorial Day Weekend
First, spend some time at a VFW or an American Legion this weekend as we remember and honor those who have served and sacrificed for our country. Second, say a prayer for Gold Star families this weekend and for those of us who remember far too many brothers and sisters killed for the ideal of America, even if that ideal has all but vanished.
Saving Private Ryan- This is one of the finest American movies ever made. It’s a good storyline; the acting is superb, and, more importantly, it delves into what war is really like—not the Hollywood-sanitized movies. The video below, I would argue, is one of the film’s most important scenes for those who genuinely want to understand the phenomenon of war. Why? Because men don’t always answer the call. Sometimes, they freeze, and their friends die. It happens. This film, set during the Normandy invasion, provides a historically accurate and emotionally powerful portrayal of war.
We Were Soldiers - I hate Mel Gibson because he hates Jews. Nevertheless, tragically, he’s a fine actor. If you’re willing to look past his past comments, then this is my favorite Vietnam War movie. Sure, there are more edgy takes, like Platoon and Deet Hunter. Still, this movie is an early look at the war before General Westmoreland orchestrated a disastrous policy that never fought the enemy inside his sanctuary. Instead, like we did in Afghanistan, we only fought them inside the very country we were trying to democratize. Sigh. Time is a flat circle. This scene, where the wives receive the telegrams, should be required for every American to view so they can understand the emotional toll of war and how often the Department of Defense has dishonored the very servicemembers they purport to love.
3. Black Hawk Down - I would argue this is still the finest American war movie about the war on terrorism. I also enjoy this film because it explores the underlying tension between different parts of the Army. Yes, even elite units hate each other. And I, as an Air Force intel weenie, would always sit back and enjoy the show.
And this speech sums up combat better than anything I’ve ever seen.
Gettysburg - Yes, it’s freakn’ long. However, it’s just a tremendous movie in so many ways: an all-star lineup, historically accurate depictions that should keep your Uncle, who is a Civil War actor, happy, and some incredible speeches—and perhaps the greatest charge in American history.
Seriously, this is the type of leadership that takes your breath away. And this scene makes me weep every time because, even though the Civil War was a righteous cause, it still pits veterans against each other.
Apocalypse Now—Oh, man, do I love this movie. Based on Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, it is a masterpiece in filmmaking and shows just how easy it is to become the very monsters you hope to destroy. Plus, Robert Duvall is an American hero in this movie. There were versions of him bouncing around the battlefield in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Weekly Wrap
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From Black Hawks to Uber: Afghanistan's Top Guns Struggle for New Flight Paths
PHOENIX, Arizona -- For almost two decades, they were brothers-in-arms. Afghanistan’s top guns, trained to fly helicopter gunships against the Taliban, were the key battlefield asset in America’s longest war, which ended in ignominy almost four years ago. Evacuated to the United States when their country collapsed,…
Preview of Upcoming Attractions
Howdy, My vacation is going splendidly. I’m knocking out edits and catching up on many pesky taskers, the small but essential tasks that often get overlooked.
Far Left anti-Semite Apprehended for Murder of 2 Israeli Staffers
On 21 May 2025, law enforcement officials detained Elias Rodriguez, a radical far-left domestic terrorist with purported ties to the Black Lives Matter Movement, for killing two Israeli staff members while leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum. The victims were Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim, an American, outside the Cap…
Anti-Natalist Suspected of Deadly Car Bombing Outside Fertility Clinic
On 17 May 2025, a car bomb exploded outside a Palm Spring, CA Fertility clinic, killing one person and injuring four. Guy Edward Bartkus, an anti-natalist, is believed to have detonated the car bomb, which killed him.
GCV in Other Media
Nasirullah "John" Safi worked as one of those interpreters for the U.S. military for a decade, starting when he was 15. He was able to get to the U.S. in 2016 under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program designed for those who supported American troops and now works with refugees and TPS holders in Oregon.
Safi told Newsweek that many Afghans had to seek asylum and TPS status because their SIV applications were still being processed when the abrupt troop withdrawal took place four years ago.
"Some hadn't applied for it, but they had supported American soldiers and they never wanted to leave the country, so this was the only option for them back in 2021, because otherwise you could get killed," Safi said.
Read the rest here.
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Zmoogno Andiwalaano (our people),
Please enjoy your Memorial Day weekend. Please say a prayer for Gold Star parents as they relive some of the most horrific moments of their lives.
No new products next week. See all you party people in June!
Men of Honor.