Limitless Ramblings

Anyone ever been to photofunia.com? It's a blast! It's mildly addicting, but so much fun, and the results are actually pretty cool! :D

BUT - that's not why we're here today. I've been looking for a new movie to watch... I kind of wanted Ron Livingston to be in it, because I'm kind of on a Ron Livingston kick, but I also wanted to watch a movie that I didn't think anyone had seen, or even heard of, before.



I found it. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm working on getting a hold of it and watching it... basically, I was reading an article/interview about Mr. Livingston in his roles in Office Space and Band of Brothers, and they talked about him in another war role, as Richard Pimental in "Music Within." (Came out in 2007) I decided to check it out - it looks like it went straight to DVD but I could be wrong about that. 00:32 seconds into the trailer, I was hooked, and as the trailer progressed, I was pulled more into the movie. I really wanna see it now.

Here's a quick synopsis of the movie:

Richard Pimentel (Ron Livingston) begins his life as a fighter, and his life's work becomes a process of fighting for the rights of others.
Rising up from a childhood in a dysfunctional family, armed with a talent for public speaking and a winning personality, the young man makes his way to a Northwestern college, confident that he will ace his try-out for his idol Dr. Ben Padrow (Hector Elizondo), the coach of the winningest team in the history of the College Bowl.
But Dr. Padrow shatters his dream when he rejects him. Richard's immediate reaction is to enlist in the army for a tour of duty in Vietnam. During combat, the young recruit loses his hearing to a bomb blast, and has to deal with this newfound disability on his return to civilian life in Oregon.
Richard discovers that his disability and the struggle to transcend it is a defining moment in his fight for what he believes in. When he tries to help his friends, vets like himself and others with disabilities, to get work in an environment that treats them with pity at best and disdain as a matter of course, he realizes that he can make a difference. The friends who make up his close-knit clique are: Art Honneyman (Michael Sheen), a student wheel chair user with cerebral palsy who uses his rapier wit to deflect the prejudice that greets his disturbing appearance; Mike Stoltz (Yul Vázquez), a fellow veteran with a lot of rage and nowhere to put it; and then there is Christine (Melissa George), the passionate libertine who strokes Richard's ego and initiates him into the world of free love.
Together, the friends experience the currents of those turbulent times, and the wild, joyful energy of winning through confrontation and humor. Without his hearing Richard is all the more prepared to listen to the message deep within himself, and to carry that message to the thousands of people whose lives are improved by the movement he helps to organize.

YAY! I think it'll be one of those movies that speaks to you, like Seven Pounds, or Pay It Forward, and I'm totally into it because it's Historical Non-Fiction. I'm really looking forward to seeing it! :)

Here's a snippet of the interview with Ron Livingston that I mentioned earlier, talking about the movie and what not.

In "Music Within," you play Richard Pimentel, who was instrumental in getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990. What specifically drew you to this story?

For me, it was a story about a guy with a crazy life. Kind of like the one you saw in "Forrest Gump," except that this one really happened.

[In] the very first opening moments of the script, he's sort of abandoned, left in an orphanage by his mentally ill mother who can't remember where he is to tell the rest of the family. They want to know where he is and she doesn't know. She says, "What kid?" [It] just seemed too perfect to be true.

And Richard's got a particularly wicked sense of humor that, to me, opened up just a whole new ground in how you can talk about people with disabilities. We're sort of used to the politically correct—you have to be very solemn, or it gets preachy or it gets very passionately felt. I think Richard feels passionately about it, but his primary medium is he starts with humor.

And he starts by challenging what you think you know and he goes from there.

The banter between your character and the Art Honeyman character was some of the liveliest.

Yeah, it's funny to think of it as being lively banter when you consider that one guy's deaf and the other guy has cerebral palsy and it takes him ten minutes to say anything.

But I felt that they did a great job with both the script and the shooting of the movie, that what seems like it might be painful in the beginning, by the end of it, the audience is used to it. You really feel you go along with it and it does feel like banter.

You met with Richard Pimentel for a few days before filming. What were your preconceptions and misconceptions about portraying him and bringing his story to light?

I just wanted to get a good feel for him. Any time you play a real person it feels, to me anyway, that there's an additional responsibility to represent them honestly. You don't always have to represent them the way they want to be represented (laughs), but you don't want to be making up stuff about them. You want to try and get them on the nose.

Richard was very helpful as far as being very open talking about what made him tick, what his particular kind of issues were, and how he felt about certain moments in his life. It really helped me right away with a little bit of a framework.

And then there's ultimately a lot of parts to the character that you just have to bring from stuff in your life, or you just make it up and hope that the guy won't mind too much or that it won't be too far off.

His character does show his flaws in the movie...

Yeah, who doesn't have flaws? And I think your flaws and your strengths always kind of go hand in hand. They tend to be one and the same

Everyone is asked that question - if you could choose to be struck blind, or struck deaf, which would you choose? And I've always said I'd rather be struck deaf, partly because I'm clumsy as all get out and would fall all over the place if I couldn't see, and partly because I know sign language and have been educated on how deaf people hear differently than us, and how they see the world in a different way, and part of me wants to experience that. I think it'll be fascinating to see how Mr. Pimental's life was changed after he was struck deaf by the bomb blast.

I'm really looking forward to it, and if you get the chance, you should check it out, too. Ron Livingston is a great actor, and I have no doubt he'll do a great job. :)

Let's get this!

~Lauren

"From this day, to the ending of the world, we in it shall be remembered. We lucky few, we band of brothers. For he who today sheds his blood with me shall be my brother."

Finished it... finally. And yet, as I type those words, I realize how much I miss it. During, you just want it to end... the sadness, the destruction, the death, the fear - you just want it to end. But as the last episode rolls around, you realize how much of yourself is now with them - with Easy Company. I know a part of me is lost knowing that I will never get the chance to meet some of these men...

And I'm pushed to realize that I didn't get to meet my Grandfather, which is enough to make you wish you'd never educated yourself about the war. I realize that a lot of them never spoke about the war... they didn't know what to say, I guess. Didn't know how to explain what they had seen or been through - but to have been able to shake his hand would have been enough.

When I watched it the first time, Band of Brothers really tore open a part of me I didn't know existed. A part of me that was simply fascinated with World War II... a part of me that respected anyone who got in those planes on D day.

Band of Brothers spoke to me in a way Saving Private Ryan couldn't... because with Band of Brothers, you couldn't tell yourself it wasn't happening. You couldn't tell yourself everyone may miraculously be alive, that everyone will come out okay, because that just wasn't always the case. With fiction, you can do what you want... but with Truth, you have to tell it how it is... no matter how strange or heart breaking (lucky for me, I latched onto Lipton... phew).

But despite all of this, it's safe to say that the truth is also inspiring. I can proudly say I've never respected a group of men more... and it's also opened my eyes and showed me what soldiers go through... it's made me appreciate them all a whole lot more.

However - Easy Company will always be there, leading the charge. They'll always have a special place in my heart, because they were honest to God heroes, each and every one. They answered the call of duty, and they marched onward, despite outstanding odds. They risked our lives and were forever changed so that we could sleep at night.

I was talking to Courtney a while back, and I told her that, if I had the chance to meet one person... if I could just pick one person to meet, I'd pick Maj. Winters. But, as I think about it, I don't know what I'd say. I'm sure I'd want to thank him for everything he's done, but how do you thank a man for being a hero? I'm not even sure I'd be able to shake his hand, simply because I don't think I'd be worthy of it... you know?

You know something - and someone - has really touched you when you can pick them out of a crowd, no problem. When I was watching the interviews with the surviving members of E Company, I was absolutely blown away with how many people I knew the names of - how many of them I just recognized right off the bat... how many of them I knew were still alive as of present, and how many had passed away and when.

It's interesting how something like this can change your life... how a simple comment like, "ooo, that looks good," 8 years ago would help kindle an interest... how an innocent night, waiting for the premiere of HBO's new miniseries could completely change who I was and how I looked at things.... and it's amazing how, after 8 years, and multiple viewings, the only thing that HASN'T changed is the fact that I'll always be touched. ALWAYS... I'll always be touched by these brave men, always respect them, always remember them.

"That night, I thanked God for seeing me through that day of days and prayed I would make it through D plus 1. I also promised that if some way I could get home again, I would find a nice peaceful town, and spend the rest of my life in peace." ~ Maj. Winters

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Since watching this show in 2000, since hearing this quote and being thoroughly and completely affected by this man, and these men, I have said a prayer every Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. I have prayed for Maj. Winters, prayed that he remains on his peaceful spot of land, and is still able to live on in peace. And I will continue to pray that prayer, and I hope you all join me.

On January 21, 2009, Maj. Winters will turn 91. He is still alive, and I can only hope he remains on his farm, able to live in peace until his days are done... and I pray that when that day comes, he will recieve the most calming peace there is, and be able to go home.

I pray that for all the remainding members of Easy, and pray that those that are already gone made the necessary decisions to do the same.

I pray that each and every one of you may find something that will speak to you, and change your life, like this did mine.

"I treasure my remark to my Grandson who asked, 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' 'No,' I answered, 'but I served in the company of Heroes.'" ~Maj. Winters

~Lauren

It's December 31st, the last day of 2008. Tomorrow, 2008 will be history... everything that has happened is now a part of our past, no matter how amazing or horrible, it's now in the past. We can't go back, we can only remember. Tomorrow is not only a new day and a new month, but a new year - a clean slate. New opportunities will be laid out in front of us. I for one am eager to see what 2009 holds for me. Will it be the worst year ever? Will it absolutely ROCK? Who knows... 2009 is the future - but it's no longer the distant future, and tomorrow, 2009 will be the present. 

I'm posting early today, because I don't know if I'll be able to post at all tomorrow. I want to start off by saying - THANK YOU AMY FOR THE ALMOND ROCHA! :D

My Christmas morning looks to be a little packed. We're to be at my Aunt's house at 11 for Christmas Brunch, which means we have to be up and ready and doing presents before that... that's early... haha. I'm determined to make it fun... I'm sure if I fill the day with games of Apples to Apples and Pictophone, it'll turn out to be a hoppin' Christmas Brunch indeed!

We'll probably spend a few hours over there, then head on back home to chill and make Christmas dinner... which I'm looking for. I might even talk everyone into finishing up Band of Brothers (Oh my heck I can't begin to tell you how much I love that series!!! What I wouldn't give to have Easy Company under my Christmas tree!) - we only have 2 more episodes left, but they're the hardest 2 to get through. Nix and his transformation, Winters and his requests, the photos, and of course... the concentration camps. BUT - as much as it tears my heart to shreds, I do so love this era of our history. I firmly believe it was the point at which America was at it's most majestic.

BUT - I digress. Friday morning holds in store for us an epic breakfast - I'm already making plans for the left over ham!! Haha! And, as Christmas comes and goes, it becomes time to make the resolutions... I had tons at the beginning of the year but as I type this, I realize I have none, and should probably think of a few.

And I think I should throw this out there - I'm prepared to accept the end of 2008. As much as I hate to see it go, I've found myself each and every day EAGERLY anticipating the new year. I kind of get like this near the end of every year, but I wasn't expecting it this time around. 2009 holds a lot of things for me - more auditions, possibly more plays, more opportunities to step into the director's chair... more job opportunities, more memories, and - of course - more FACE TIME opportunities. It's strange to see how fast and yet how slow everything passes... To wake up every morning wondering what lies ahead, only to wake up once again on January first knowing you've been here before. Knowing you've been here before, but knowing this is something completely fresh and new.

I hope writing, and blogging, remain as therapeutic as they proved themselves to be near the end of this year. I guess everyone has an outlet, and I hope this one remains mine. It's a unique outlet - not like stage or dance or singing or anything like that. It allows me to calm myself, but at the same time record everything I'm feeling, what's happened, what I'm going through, offering me the opportunity to look back on my life and see how I've changed or grown. See what I've accomplished.

I can only pray that, as we celebrate our Lord's birth, He watches over me and guides me, and that I hear Him as best I can. Maybe that will be my resolution - grow in Him, follow Him more. That's one that can never end badly, right?

And as I finish this off, I'd like to wish all of you and your families a VERY Merry Christmas - may you remember what we are celebrating, and may you enjoy the times you can spend with family. May the Lord be with those that can't be with us, be it one way or the other, and may he smile upon you all. May the New Year bring you many blessings, as well... I know Christa's got one already in the works. :) (I am SO jealous!)

AND - David - IF you read this, I just want to wish you a Merry Christmas, as well. It sucks you can't be with us for what I think is the first time in forever. I hope everything goes well and you keep yourself safe!! Have a great time!! Miss you!! *hugs*

...hmm... despite the fact that Lt. Lipton's episode makes me cry every time I see it, and despite the fact that I just watched Lt. Lipton's episode, I'm in a rather chipper, giving mood right now. Mayhaps I'll leave out a piece of Almond Rocha for the ants in my room - it's the least I can do for killing their Spider Centurion on the Eve of Christmas (It was his fault, though, he jumped on me while I was getting laundry to wash, I reacted as any person would when a HUGE brown spider jumps on them).

Merry Christmas, blog readers. Get ya minds right, and enjoy your time with your families. A family is a priceless treasure, and the time you spend with them could be the best gift you receive this year. :)

~Lauren

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In Paris and Rome
But I wanna go home
Mmmmmmmm

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I’ve been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you
Each one a line or two
“I’m fine baby, how are you?”
Well I would send them but I know that it’s just not enough
My words were cold and flat
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I’m living someone else’s life
It’s like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not
Come along with me
'Cause this was not your dream
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

And I’m surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
Oh, let me go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home
I’ve had my run
Baby, I’m done
I gotta go home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I’ll be home tonight
I’m coming back home

So... the hardest part of today's blog was picking a title... no joke. I saw the above vid last night and knew exactly what I was thankful for when I woke up this morning.

I'm thankful for Easy Company - 506th Infantry Regiment.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate ALL of E Company, but the 506th is the regiment I know the most about... They're the ones profiled in Band of Brothers, and I don't know a single person that has seen that show and walked away without being PROUD of their history.

I'm already a sucker for anything war related, and WW2 especially, because my dad's dad was a Bombardier... I think he was in B-52's? I don't know for sure... it's been a while.

The 506th PIR was an experimental Airborne Regiment created in 1942. Easy Company missions were to be dropped from a C-47 Transport Airplane over various hostile territories. The units would parachute from the aircraft, and regroup once they had landed. The purpose of an experimental parachute regiment was to gain tactical advantage over the enemy; also as a fast access to wherever the unit needed to be mobilized.

The training for Easy Company was not an easy task. Besides attending the standard Airborne school, the unit had to perform battle drills and excruciating amounts of physical training. One of the more famous exercises performed physical training was the running of Curahee. Curahee was a large, steep hill, in which the men of Easy Company had to run on a regular basis.

Also as part of their physical training, the members of Easy Company performed formation runs. Formation runs are formed into three-four column running groups. The purpose of this training was to first push the soldiers to their limits, and also to teach them how to work together as a team.

The reason I chose to post the above video is because, the two that fascinate and touch me the most are the object of that video - Maj. Richard D. Winters (born January 21, 1918) and Capt. Lewis Nixon (September 30, 1918 - January 11, 1995). Not only were the two men exceptional soldiers and heroes, but they had a friendship that is unparalleled. The video doesn't capture it in it's entirety, but it touches on how amazing these two people were and how close they were - I loved their friendship more so than anything they ever did... (it breaks my heart to see that Nix died 10 days before Winter's birthday)

I am so thankful to have these two great men be a part of the history of my country - as well as the 506th. Even if you don't know a thing about these two men - just know that they truly are the definition of Hero. Keep Maj. Winters in your prayers and Capt. Nixon in your memories. I don't know how - or if - WW2 would have been different if these two men had not existed, but I know I am thankful that they did. Maj. Winters was a GREAT leader - turned the 506th into the amazing regiment it was, and Capt. Nixon kept Winters going... served as a great friend and a great soldier, despite a slight drinking problem and having never fired a shot. ;)

Winters enlisted in the army in 1941 in order to shorten his time in service. Upon graduation from basic training, he was selected to attend the Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning, Georgia. It was there that he met his friend Lewis Nixon, with whom he would serve throughout the war in the 101st Airborne Division. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant after graduation from OCS.

Winters volunteered for paratrooper training at Camp Toccoa in northeastern Georgia, and was an original member of Company "E", of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment 101st division, initially serving as a platoon leader. During his training at Camp Toccoa, Winters was appointed Company Executive Officer (XO) and received a promotion to first lieutenant, under the company's original commander, Captain Herbert Sobel.

After the 101st Airborne Division was deployed to England in September 1943, simmering grievances of Easy Company's NCOs erupted into what Winters later called a "mutiny". Captain Sobel was replaced as the commanding officer (CO) of Easy Company by First Lieutenant Thomas Meehan III shortly before the Normandy invasion. However, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on June 6, 1944, the C-47 Skytrain transport carrying Meehan and the headquarters section of Easy Company was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire, killing everyone on board.

Winters jumped that night and landed safely near Sainte-Mère-Église. Having lost his weapon during the drop, he was able to orient himself, collect several paratroopers, including members of the 82nd Airborne, and proceed toward the unit's assigned objective near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. Without knowing the fate of Lieutenant Meehan, Winters became the de facto commanding officer of Easy Company for the duration of the Normandy campaign.

Later that day, Winters led an attack that destroyed a battery of German 105 mm howitzers which were firing onto the causeways that served as the principal exits from Utah Beach. The guns were defended by approximately one platoon of German troops, while Winters had only thirteen men. This action south of the village of Le Grand-Chemin is often referred to as the Brécourt Manor Assault. The attack is still taught at the military academy at West Point as an example of a text book assault on a fixed position. In addition to destroying the battery, Winters also obtained a map detailing all German defenses in the Utah Beach area.

Continue...

After graduating from Army Officer Candidate School in 1941 as a second lieutenant, Nixon made the decision to join the paratroops. He was assigned to Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Nixon went through the regimental unit training and pre-airborne training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, eventually training at many locations throughout the United States and England for the invasion of France.

Nixon was appointed as the 2nd Battalion intelligence officer, and showed enough skill at his job to be moved up to the regimental level as 506th Infantry S2, shortly after Easy Company took Carentan on June 12, 1944. He served in Normandy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, though he never fired a shot. However, in Holland he was hit by a stray bullet from a German MG-42 machine gun. The bullet went through Nixon's helmet but did not kill him. It only grazed his forehead and left a small burn mark. He developed a drinking problem, and was eventually removed and assigned back down to the 2nd Battalion as the operations officer (S3), where he continued to display his skill at planning and operations, but did not have to deal with the politics and high visibility at the regimental level. In Berchtesgaden, he had first choice of a captured, extensive wine collection originally assembled at Hermann Goering's expense.

Nixon was one of the few men of the 101st Airborne to jump with another division or regiment. On March 24, 1945, Nixon was assigned by General Maxwell Taylor as an observer with the 17th Airborne Division on Operation Varsity. Nixon's plane took a direct hit after he and three others got out. He is also one of a very few men in the 101st to earn three Combat Jump Stars on his Jump Wings.

He ended the war with the rank of captain. He saw the defeat of Germany, and returned home in September 1945.

He is known and remembered for his love of the blended whisky VAT 69. This is commemorated several times in the book and miniseries Band of Brothers by Stephen Ambrose. Lewis Nixon was also remembered as always having a source of whisky no matter where the company was.

I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have such amazing people be a part of the history of this nation. :)


Scott Grimes (right), who portrayed Tsgt. Donald Malarkey in the HBO mini series Band of Brothers, seen here with the REAL Tsgt. Donald Malarkey (left), born in 1921.

**SPOILER WARNING**

**IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN SAW V AND DO NOT WANT IT SPOILED, DO NOT READ FURTHER!**

**I WILL ATTEMPT TO SPOILER TAG THIS POST, BUT IF I FAIL, KNOW THAT YOU WERE WARNED**







Donnie Wahlberg has finally let me down...okay, not really. I'm more let down by the fact that I finally HATE - not just dislike - a movie Donnie Wahlberg was in. I'm a big fan - as you can tell from my last blog, I'm a Wahlberg brothers fan... and as much as I love Mark, I love Donnie even more. I knew of him first, having been a closet New Kids on the Block fan, and just followed him. I've seen pretty much everything he's been in, from Ransom in 1996 to Saw V last Sunday. And, as bad as some of those movies were - wasn't a fan of Dead Silence (come on, I'm scared of puppets and clowns, both of which were in that movie, and the movie didn't frighten me at all) or Dreamcatcher, but enjoyed the movies cuz I laughed through a lot of it - I was always somewhat pleased with having seen them. And Donnie's acting ability is phenomenal, holy crap. I was drawn into the whole Saw franchise BY him - finally finding the time to watch Saw 2 simply becuase he was in it, and I owed it to my fandom to watch it... I was intrigued by the Saw movies after seeing 3 and 4 - they weren't scary, but I enjoyed them... and after Saw 2, I fell more in love with the franchise. Imagine my excitement to know that Donnie was credited in Saw V!! I don't think I need to describe to you how big a fan of Eric Matthews I am... that'll be handled later on.

I was really looking forward to this movie - Donnie Wahlberg aside, I had become a fan of Saw. I didn't think I ever would - the first movie was not a favorite of mine. It never really drew me in, because I didn't feel the plot was very strong... it was just an excuse for them to show some gore. My brother made me watch it... that was about 4 years ago. So when Saw 2 came out, I kind of blew it off. About when Saw 3 came out on DVD, I had since moved and made a few new friends, 2 of which were huge Saw fans. It was over Easter Break in about 2007 that we watched Saw 3. My first thought as the movie started was "Is that Donnie Wahlberg?" As the movie continued, I wasn't too impressed... the story line was confusing, because I hadn't seen 2, but the characters were rather solid... I really, REALLY liked Wahlberg's character. You have to have respect for a guy who will break his own foot, and then WALK on it. I even think I got into a "Eric isn't dead" debate with them. And what really got me, was when I went home, I couldn't sleep. I was THAT freaked out. That's intriguing... and the more I thought about it, the more I appreciated the movie... the more I liked it... so needless to say, when Saw 4 came out, I was in line with my friends at 10 o clock on October 27th of last year. I was even more intrigued... albeit upset about a few things... but after watching Saw 2 recently, I actually FELL IN LOVE with the Saw franchise... after watching two, being more aquainted with Eric Matthews, Amanda Young, John Cramer, Daniel Rigg, and Allison Kerry, I went back and watched 3 and 4, and gained a new appreciation for the movies, and caught things I never caught before.

I was SO excited for Saw V.

Then... I saw it. And I've never been so disappointed. I answered a discussion on a board about the movie... I feel it more appropriate to just quote what I said there, instead of writing it all out. If a few things are repeated that I already said, I apologize. Also, there are spoilers ALL UP IN THIS POST, so don't read it if you don't want the movie ruined for you.

"I was on the phone for an HOUR last night with my friend talking about how bad this movie was. It was just downright SAWFUL.



There was no twist, there was no suspense, I wasn't trying to figure out anything, and the ending was lame. The games were lame, too, and wth did they do to Strahm's character? He had SO much potential!!

Saw 1 did nothing for me. I was forced to watch it, and it was honestly the most pointless movie in the series. The story wasn't very complex, adn it was just a lot of gore.

Saw 2 was the best in the series - I didn't guess any of the twists, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It introduced a *few* new characters, namely Rigg and, my personal favorite, Eric Matthews. Eric was a BA, and my favorite character in the Saw series. Jigsaw's plan was soooo elaborate in 2, everything was so hard to guess... I loved every minute of it. EVERY MINUTE OF IT. It was hard to hate John, I found myself falling in love with Amanda's character, and rooting for (and falling in love) with Eric. I even CRIED in Saw 2. I found myself getting angry with Eric, wanting John to just give him his son... but at the end when the big reveal was made, I couldn't help but just admit that he had told us everything, and if we had just listened, we would have gotten our answers. Genius. I was in total awe of the sawesomeness of this movie. I felt anger and respect for John, felt sorry for/angry about Eric... sooo many connections were made with the characters... it was just a GREAT movie. I was a mild fan of the franchise before I saw this movie - but FELL IN LOVE WITH IT after seeing this one.

Saw 3 got me curious in the first few seconds... I saw it before Saw 2, and still managed to fall in love with Eric right off the bat... After seeing Saw 2, I watched Saw 3 again. Not as good as Saw 2, but the storyline continued steadily, and there were so many tiny nods that kept me guessing. I figured a few things out, but not Jeff's secret, and not a few other things. The traps were, dare I say, beautiful, in this one... the Angel, the Rack, the necklace... everything was so exquisite. And I still loved Amanda, John actually gained my respect, and I loved Eric EVEN. MORE. The character development was great, the story line was awesome... and the gore was bearable.

Saw 4 weakened a bit, but it was still awesome. I saw this, too, before Saw 2, and watched it also after seeing Saw 2. Because of the whacked out order in which I watched the films (1, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 5) I was able to catch a lot of little things I hadn't caught before, and that's one thing I REALLY liked about 2-4. They were seperate movies, but they all tied into eachother so well. A lot of times, with movies as complex as this, you get a nod in a previous movie, and it's forgotten int he second. This didn't happen over the course of these movies. Everything was done so well. Saw 4 was the only one that really ****** me off... It bothered me that, after 6 months of torture that he didn't deserve, Eric dies because Hoffman decided to put his life in the hands of Riggs. I didn't think that was fair... and I was really upset that Eric died. I thought, as I left the theater, that that was the biggest mistake of the Saw franchise... top that off with the death of Jeff, John, Amanda, and Riggs, you've got NO ONE, but Hoffman, left from the original franchise, and it's quite honestly going to be difficult to bring new things in. Hoffman was the other biggest mistake... but we'll get into this in a bit. That being taken into consideration, the movie was still good. The twist was fantastic, the story was still real thick, and I liked the new characters, namely Peter Strahm. I felt they could do a lot with his character. So, while tears were shed, and I got my first real glimpse of anger towards John, I liked the movie. The franchise was still going strong, and I was already speculating what they could do with Saw V... I pretty much guess that it would center around Strahm.

Saw 5... was so disappointing. Like I had guessed, they centered it around Strahm - driven crazy by the idea that Jigsaw had yet ANOTHER accomplice. He had brought this to light in Saw 3... his mistake was telling Hoffman that he suspected someone else. What I didn't guess was that they would focus the story on Hoffman like they did... that was a mistake in my mind. Another mistake was showing us John's girlfriend, receiving a box, looking inside, then not telling us what's in it. Great. Now we're probably getting Saw 6. The story for this movie was not only terrible, the plot uncomplex and boring, but it also tore apart everything the first 4 movies set up.

For starters, they made me lost respect for John. In 1-4, he was always a sort of upstanding serial killer, never really killing anyone, just trying to teach them to value their lives. One of my favorite Saw moments was in Saw 3, when he stares directly at Amanda and says "I despise murderers." We find out later that he WAS talking to her, referring tot he fact that her games were unwinable, that she was just killing to kill... and that she had left Eric Matthews for dead. It was chilling to see how Jigsaw reacted... how he gave Amanda chance after chance to change her. And Amanda went through SO MUCH to gain John's respect... there was a sort of pity to her character. Watching her die after everything she'd been through was upsetting... there was a lot of connection there. But in Saw 5, we learn how Hoffman got involved - and it went something like this:

Hoffman murdered his sister's killer in a jigsaw like trap... Jigsaw found out, put a gun to Hoffman's head, and threatened to pull the trigger. Apparently, that was his test. He then let Hoffman join him in everyone of his traps, from the barbed wire thing to the house to the Eric-on-Ice performance.

The idea in and of itself, I despised. I didn't like having Hoffman involved from Saw 1, especially since he was only brought into the picture in Saw 3.

But the thing that REALLY bothers me is that Hoffman was a murderer, that's how he started... and all Jigsaw did was give him a firm talking to. That blows his "I despise murderers" concept right out of the water.

Also - they destroyed Strahm's character. I'm glad his character ended up the way I did, because there was no other way they could have developed it after they destroyed it.

there were SO MANY plot holes... nothing got tied up, and it wasn't Saw-esque at all.

Hoffman's trap was a joke. It was an interesting idea, but I think the 5 in the room were merely there to fill time, and provide the gore that Saw was so famous for. The traps weren't as genius as they were before, which one could argue was because it was Hoffman in charge and not John, but still.

Plus, the idea that one person had to die in each stage... ridiculous. There's no rehabilitation in that... so Hoffman isn't playing by the rules... which would be fine if he had stuck to that pattern and broken the rules the entire time. But he didn't, they tried to make it like he was playing by the rules... which ****** me off to no end.

And finally, there was the Scrubs way of telling the story. Strahm tells Hoffman early in the movie that he thinks it's him... and then he goes off and follows an interesting trail, visiting all of Hoffman and Jigsaw's little trap areas... he would enter a room, and then we would get to see what happened, which is apparently what he was able to figure otu just by looking into the room. He would say a one liner to himself, and move to the next room, repeating the process. I call this the Scrubs way, because it reminded me of JD's dream sequences... he'll stare off into space, then say a one liner and move on. It just didn't work for the movie.

The whole movie was a waste of time. It wasn't what Saw had been at all... quite honestly, it was a joke. I half expected the whole movie to play out, then at the end, cut to Tobin Bell, Donnie Wahlberg, Costas Mandylor, and Scott Patterson, sitting around a table, at which point the following conversation takes place:

Costas: And that's how Saw 5 would have happened.
Scott: Wow...
Donnie: Glad I got out when I did!
Tobin: yeah... pretty much glad I died.

It was a JOKE. I've never been so disappointed...

There was so much more they could have done...

I think if htey had never introduced Hoffman, that woudl have been great... killing Eric was a mistake, they could have kept him alive and played with his character more because, let's face it, he was the BEST character in the franchise and had so much potential. Strahm could have been developed better, not turned into an obsessed wimp like he was. Even keeping Riggs alive would have been great... and I would have even been happy if Hoffman's character was developed a little better... but none of that happened.

The movie could have gone in so many directions that would have rocked, but it didn't... it sucked. So - while I was excited for Saw 5, I must say, after watching it... Saw is done. That movie was, as I said before... Sawful."

"Seriously, though... Eric's character - at least to me - had SO MANY dimensions... and he was pretty bad ******.

I felt killing him in four was not only unfair, but a waste of a great character. More so than any of the other cops, even Hoffman, they could have played with Matthews, taken him down so many roads, instead of so cruelly smashing his head Final Destination 3 style.

And I would have liked to see a little more development out of Amanda, as well...

I personally never came around to Hoffman. I wasn't a big fan, and I'm still not.

Too many things upset me in this movie, not enough of the Saw I was used to... and I think the story line just fell limp.

Not to mention, I don't know how they're going to justify doing a 6th movie when Strahm is dead, and Hoffman's plan was to frame him. They can't continue with the Jigsaw murders for a number of reasons...

1. Hoffman needs someone to let him out of the case... which means they're going to find it, along with Strahm's blood. They'll know he's dead, and he's been framed as Jigsaw's last accomplice... so if the murders continue, then there goes Hoffman's big plan.

2. Hoffman doesn't intend to be let out of the box, just dies there, and there's no one to carry on the torch.

3. Hoffman is in cahoots with Jigsaw's girlfriend, she let's him out of the box, and no one ever finds the warehouse. They continue the murders, but no one ever catches the illusive Peter Strahm... I don't know about you, but I'm not looking forward to a movie where they chase a man we know is already dead.

And the idea of involving the gf? Yeah, don't like that. Why doesn't Jigsaw just pass the torch to ME next?

The other thing that bothered me was that there is apparently NO forensics team in the Saw movies.

They found a cup of coffee on the desk - a cup of coffee that was supposedly Strahm's, but that we saw Hoffman take a drink out of earlier in the film. Wouldn't procedure mean for them to take all the evidence (the cup, the phone, etc.) and do proper tests on it? wouldn't they then find Hoffman's saliva on the coffee cup, thus blowing his whole plan to smithereens?

And there were far too many inconsistencies.

I don't agree that this is the same Saw we're used to. I agree they get a bit of lee way cuz they're new writers, but not THAT much... and I don't think it would have gone stale had we kept some of the original characters... they all had a lot of potential and were developed so well...

But even if they had treated Strahm a little better, I would have enjoyed it more."

So there you go... those are my feelings on Saw V.

I also wasn't too happy about the fact that, the only scene Wahlberg was in was a flashback of him dying. Yeah, let's play THAT over and over again. Band of Brothers (I always found it interesting that his character's name was Lipton in both BoB and Dead Silence), Annapolis, The Sixth Sense, Boomtown, and of course my personal favorite, Purgatory... among all others. But this will be one movie that has a glimpse of the actor that I will NEVER watch again... unless my friends and I get together and make fun of the movie... haha.

The good news is... Max Payne will be better than this, no matter how bad it is.

SONG OF THE DAY:

You're Not Sorry
Taylor Swift
Fearless