Last updated on 2012-06-07, by Tony

Top 4 Memorial Day Movies to Watch On Memorial Day 2012

Memorial Day is celebrated on the last Monday of May and therefore Memorial Day 2012 will be observed on May 28 this year. The history of Memorial Day can be dated back to as early as the 1860s, when women in southern towns were busy burying Union and Confederate soldiers after the Civil War.

Somehow, Memorial Day is celebrated to commemorate those soldiers who have devoted their lives to the career of peace and freedom. In recent years, people mainly express their grief towards the increasing casualties of American armymen in Afghanistan and Iraq on Memorial Day.

However, besides that, respects and honors have continuously shown to soldiers who have sacrificed in the Independence War and the Civil War on Memorial Day. In order to help you understand the great significance of Memorial Day and the greatness of the soldiers in the battlefield, this post will show you top four Memorial Day movies to watch on Memorial Day 2012.

1. The Patriot: An Independence War story

As another masterpiece of Mel Gibson after Braveheart, The Patriot had won Best Motion Picture in Academy Awards as well. This movie reveals you how a peaceful farmer named Benjamin Martin was forced to fight against British troops after being excessive exploited. To some extent, The Patriot is kind of Braveheart alike in plot only with different endings.

Benjamin Martin in the movie has faced the same choice of every American at that time, either live as a slave or die as a free man. However, the brutality of British troops left him no choice. When his homes were burned and lovers are killed, he has to fight. The Patriot has not only showed American desire for freedom but also the bravery of American soldiers.

Comment: Who else can you commemorate on Memorial Day 2012 except those soldiers who helped to build America?

2. Glory: A true story in the Civil War

The Civil War is a key war that will decide the fate of America as well as American slaves. We all know slaves had played an important part in the Civil War, but we never figure out how important they turn to be. Based on a true story, Glory shows you the fight of a troop consisting of slaves during the Civil War.

In the movie, the troop consists of Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman is led by a white officer named Robert Gould Shaw. However, they find they not only need to fight against Confederates but also prejudices of Union soldiers. This movie not only shows you the miserable fate of black men at that time but also their desire for freedom. They spared no efforts in the fight for their freedom including their innocence, heritage and lives.

Comment: Mourn soldiers in the Civil War and get to know the war where Memorial Day origins.

3. Restrepo: Life in the Afghanistan War

It seems that the situation of American troops in Afghanistan is getting worse and worse. Many soldiers have lost their lives in this deserted area. With faith to peace and anti-terrorist career, they have never spared their lives. Those brave and just images are what we need to commemorate on Memorial Day 2012.

Restrepo is more a DV show than a movie because the director spent a year in Afghanistan recording the lives of those soldiers. In order to honor a soldier who was dead in Afghanistan, the movie is named after him. All the things in the movie are real which can help you know better about the lives of soldiers in Afghanistan. If you want to know about the Afghanistan War, this movie will definitely shock you.

Comment: Soldiers like Restrepo deserve our respects on Memorial Day 2012

4. The Hurt Locker: Soldiers in the Iraq War

The Hurt Locker surprisingly beat Avatar in Academy Awards and won Best Motion Picture. Though the Iraq War is concerned by all, few get the chance to know the real life in Iraq. The director had seized this opportunity and vividly showed us the images of soldiers in the Iraq War. Consequently, The Hurt Locker was proved to be a big success.

Many people take freedom and peace for granted and they always recognize to find those invisible heroes who are fighting for our freedom. The Hurt Locker not only shows you the lives of soldiers in Iraq, but also their helplessness. Every step they make on the street may be a step to death. More importantly, they get used to the lives here and cannot get back to those peaceful lives.

Comment: Mourn for those dead soldiers in Iraq on Memorial Day 2012

Those are top four Memorial Day movies to watch on Memorial Day 2012. Those movies introduce you the Independence War, the Civil War, the Afghanistan War and the Iraq War respectively to help you know the greatness of American soldiers. If you are interested in them, you can convert those DVDs to mp4 files for The new iPad with DVD Ripper.