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Miracle at St. Anna - 2008  *****

If you are ever asked: Why do you watch movies? What's so great about them? You simply answer: Miracle at St. Anna.  I can't even begin with words how incredible this movie is because I am afraid to gush with the same fanatic pablum.  Directed by Spike Lee, this movie closely follows the lives of four buffalo soldiers during WWII.  They find themselves behind enemy lines after a horrific engagement with the Germans because of their impertinent and racist commander. The four survivors, along with a young Italian boy they saved from the rubbles, take refuge in a small yet convoluted Italian village.  There you see hidden stories begin to unfold, revealing the ugly faces of man, war, truth, and life.  At the same time, you also witness the resilience of faith and kindness.  But no matter which side we are on, in the end, we all kneel to recite the same prayer.    

Movies about war are by far my favorite genre because they show the audacious display of courage.  I've seen many war movies and yet this one stands out as having the most unique storyline to ever be told through the eyes of history.  It is movies like Miracle at St. Anna that remind me why it is that I love to watch films and read books, why I love to discuss the authenticity of filmography and its brilliance,  and why it is that life can be vicariously relived through the emotions felt during such cinematic experiences!