Saving Private Ryan

　　Well, actually1,the kind of films I like best are probably2 the older ones. For example3, oneof my favourites is Saving Private Ryan. I think I like war movies and I particularlylike that one, I suppose4 because5 the acting is excellent with Tom Hanks6 anda bunch of other people who are really really good. Its a good story but Isuppose the thing that is most impressive for me is that initial opening scenewhere the troops are actually landing in Normandyon the beaches. Its very meaningful for me because my dad was in the SecondWorld War and also because I visited those beaches in Normandy7. Its easy forme, having been there8, to imagine what those guys were actually facing as theycame off the landing craft and had to face a hail of bullets from the Germanmachine gun posts. And I think the other reason I really like that film isbecause it represents Americawhen America was great, whenAmericawas at its best. Around the time of the Second World War, I think America was abeacon for many countries.It seemed to be freer, and more powerful, more hopeful, more optimistic as wellas gutsy9 . Itseemed to offer more pleasure for human beings as a nation and to be less clutteredup by old traditions that werent very useful any more. So I think thats oneof the reasons I really like that film10 because it represents the best of theUS whereas now I guess the US is a bit more in decline.