Taking A Stand

Last Friday, when I went home for the weekend, I decided to go to the movies with my roommate, another friend of mine, and two girls that I knew that lived near my high school. We were supposed to see the 3D Valentine movie, but by the time we got there around 10:30, it was already sold out. Since we had already driven to the mall, we figured we might as well see a movie, and ended up choosing to watch Defiance, a true story about the Nazis and their persecution of the Jews in Eastern Europe.
The three Bielski brothers, Tuvia, Zus, and Asael, escape into the wilderness before German patrols can find them. As time passes, they gradually end up caring for a large number of Jews, until Zus and a few others leave to fight for the Red Army against the Germans. The remaining Jews set up a complex camp, similar to a small community. Tuvia, the leader of the new community made the laws and abided by them, no exceptions. Everyone was required to do something to benefit the community, regardless of age or sex. Because most of the better soldiers had left to fight with the Red Army, women were trained in infantry to help protect their fellow Jews. Even though women "did not belong" on the battlefield, this movie shows that when times are hard and people are needed, it doesn't matter who you are, just as long as you can help towards advancement. Nobody judged them for going against what was considered as normal. However, following generations were grateful and applauded those men and women for fighting for what they believed in.

Good Luck Chuck

Over the weekend, I watched Good Luck Chuck for the first time. Released in 2007, the movie stars the famous faces of Dane Cook and Jessica Alba. As a young boy, Chuck, Cook's character, is placed under a curse by a girl who wants him to be her boyfriend, despite the fact that he is beyond uninterested. Up until he meets Cam, played by Jessica Alba, every woman that he has slept with finds their soul mate to be the next guy that they date after Chuck. One the news gets out about Chuck's "magic," every woman wants to sleep with him.
The movie suggests that the goal in a woman's life is to get married, even if it means sleeping with someone who has slept with nearly the entire community. It also makes all men seem like they are incapable of being in a monogamous relationship, neither of which are true. For both men and women, both situations can be true. Some men want to get married just as much as the next woman, while some women want to "hit and split" just as much as the next guy.