Citizen Kane

I really enjoy this movie because it reminds me of a somewhat "rags to riches" theme. The movie gets really interesting when an opponent running against Kane releases information about a scandal involving Susan Alexander and Kane. This gives a very good example of tough competition and what it takes to succeed in life, you cant be a pushover or too nice you have to be competitive and aggressive and thats what both men were. Kane tries to prove to everybody how much of an honest man he is and they believe him for the most part except for Leland he can see right through Kane.

The End - "All quiet on the western front"

The end of this movie is very symbolic and meaningful. As Paul reaches out for a a very colorful butterfly he moves slowly. Earlier in the movie there is reference to his butterfly collection and now it seems as if he is trying to get a firm grasp on life, and just as he is about to grasp it he killed. It shows how close somebody can get to something and it be taken away in one quick action. In my opinion Paul was better off dead because he couldn't go back home the life wasn't suitable for him and he had lost almost all of his friends on the front.

"MY" boots

Franz Kemmerick's death perfectly exemplifies the use of dehumanization in the movie "All Quiet on the Western Front". A man and friend dies and the only member that actually acknowledged it was Paul. Kemmerick's fancy boots created a dense fog around his death, Mueller was to occupied on taking those boots home he never even realized his friend was dying. In the end you realize that you aren't the one dead and that you have to get on with life. War turns men into very different people it makes you see things for what they are and Mueller saw Kemmerick's death as a shopping spree in Wal-mart or pay-less.