Jarhead

I saw this movie when it first played in theaters, and after re-watching it on DVD I have to say that it's even better the second time. A wet behind the ears grunt (Jake Gyllenhaal) gets shipped off to fight in Desert Storm only to discover that there's really no war to speak of. It's a great flick that addresses how futile war really is, our military and how it treats its soldiers and the effects of dedicating yourself to killing for a living. All the acting is awesome across the board (even Jamie Foxx), the direction by Sam Mendes is flawless and it features some truly striking imagery (that burning oil field scene in particular). This one got snubbed at the Oscars.

4.5 out of 5


*written 3/11/06