Memorial Day.
It’s a day set aside to honor those who have served, and especially those who have fallen while serving. The honoring of military service is often called other things in other countries, including names like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc. in places like North Korea. Regardless of how you feel about war, you must realize that it’s an inevitability. The sooner you subscribe to such a fact, the better you can develop your argument as to when, or if it’s ever justified.
Memorial Day for most Americans means flying the American flag, remembering any friends or family who have served and lighting the grill for the first time of the year. It is a harbinger of summer; the end to the school year; a nice day off of work, and a reminder that half the year is almost over.
Yet for dudes who love to be dudes, and appreciate violence captured by celluloid moving rapidly through a camera body, Memorial Day offers a little something more. Movies about war or military. If you’re tending to the BBQ, spending hours to smoke a brisket, several options of the rib variety or a couple whole chickens with beer cans in their cavities, you’ll need a little something that gets you from point A to point B…and point B to point C, etc. Realistically, you’re looking at 8 hours for a decent brisket. You need war movies. And you’ll find them everywhere, especially on AMC!
While the ladies are enjoying Memorial Day sales, fighting crowds and finding prices that are comparable to what you’d find on any other day of the week unless you buy hundreds of dollars worth of stuff to maximize a 10 percent discount…you dudes can be at home, enjoying the smell of hickory or apple wood smoke, while taking in classics such as Apocalypse Now, Patton, Midway, Saving Private Ryan, The Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen…or you can really treat yourself to something special and enjoy (find it on TV, toss in the Bluray or hop onto Netflix streaming) The Thin Red Line. If you need a palate cleanser, you can find Top Gun on Netflix streaming as well.
Have a great weekend! In all sincerity, please be safe–don’t drink and drive. And for all of you absurdly brave men and women who have served, and are presently serving: Thank you for your service!
