movies

The Army Blotter: Movie shooter pleads, "rogue platoon" news, and Canada commander's OEF fling

By Joe Gould on November 24, 2010 Outside the wire

An Iraq vet who shot a noisy fellow moviegoer in Philadelphia during “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” on Christmas 2008 pleaded guilty yesterday to aggravated assault and possessing an instrument of crime. James Cialella, 31, a former sergeant, tried to break up a fight in the theater when he was attacked. Cialella, who had a North Carolina gun permit, fired in self defense, his attorney said. [via Philadelphia Inquirer] The Army is investigating officers who oversaw the group of Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldiers that allegedly murdered civilians and committed other crimes during their recent deployment to southern Afghanistan. The…

The Nazi plan to invade America

By Joe Gould on November 16, 2010 Outside the wire

In 1942, when the outcome of World War II was unwritten, Life magazine published maps depicting the various ways America might be invaded. Easy to laugh off today what must have been chilling then: “U.S. fifth column, heretofore held in reserve, blows up the country. The Japs take the West Coast aviation industry, shipyards and oil wells. Then Germans stab at East Coast.” The maps were speculative, Life’s a response to another speculative article, by science fiction author Phillip Wylie, describing how America’s defeat might go. If you’re into this sort of thing, consider the upcoming BBC TV series, “The…

The Army Blotter: Perv had NVGs, leave kills, and Oktoberfest stolen valor [UPDATED: Alleged cover-ups, UK's "rogue platoon" case]

By Joe Gould on November 12, 2010 Outside the wire

A Fort Rucker, Ala., sergeant charged with possessing photos of himself molesting 8- and 9-year-old girls will face a court martial before year’s end and then civilian court. The soldier, 30, arrested in a drug bust, may face life in prison. With the pornography, investigators found a pair of night vision goggles worth $6K that disappeared from a helo crash. [via The Southeast Sun] A 21-year-old soldier charged in the drunken driving death of a 19-year-old woman in Nevada was on leave to attend the funeral of his brother. The brother, a Marine lance corporal, had been killed in a…

Soldier’s ‘Unstoppable’ in big-budget Hollywood film

By Joe Gould on November 11, 2010 Outside the wire

Ever dreamed about making it big in Hollywood? Former 101st Airborne soldier Ryan Ahern may not be on the marquee just yet, but he’s in the credits for his small role in “Unstoppable,” opening tomorrow. The Portland Press-Herald reports that Ahern, 25, plays a Marine vet working at a rail yard who helps Denzel Washington and Chris Pine (The 2009 Star Trek’s Kirk) stop a runaway train. For filming, he was dangled out of a helicopter, sort of like the air assaults he performed in Iraq in 2005. Over there, an officer he knew hooked him up with his talent-agent…

SFC James to star in 'Escape From New York' remake?

By Joe Gould on November 8, 2010 Outside the wire

Jeremy Renner, who played Sgt. 1st Class William James, the Hurt Locker’s risk-taking EOD team leader, is rumored to be in talks to play Snake Plissken. Bloody Disgusting reports Renner could star in the remake of the 1981 post-apocalyptic thriller. In the John Carpenter-directed original, taciturn eye-patch wearing Plissken must rescue the president from a gang-ruled Manhattan. In the New Line Cinema remake, BD reports, a soldier-turned-criminal is given 24 hours to find the president following the crash of Air Force One. And in case you were wondering, Renner since the critically-acclaimed “Hurt Locker” seems to headed beyond “oh, that…

Catch a classic: Bridge on the River Kwai

By Joe Gould on November 5, 2010 Outside the wire

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFMmJMNRv-Q[/youtube] If you happen to be in D.C., “Bridge on the River Kwai,” ranked among the greatest war movies of all time, is a must-see experience. It’s playing at the Burke Theater at the U.S. Navy Memorial Nov. 9 and is free for service members who RSVP.

Browsing: movies