MSNBC:

Justin Timberlake kept his promise — and so did his “Friends with Benefits” co-star, Mila Kunis.

Kunis accompanied Sgt. Scott Moore to the Marine Corps Ball on Friday night in Greenville, N.C., according to several local news reports in Greenville.

The actress arrived into the Pitt-Greenville Airport around 2:30 p.m. local time on Friday and was quickly whisked to the Greenville Convention Center, the site of the ball.

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People:

This summer, Justin Timberlake accepted a servicewoman’s invitation to attend the Instructor Battalion Marine Corps Ball, and Saturday he made good on that promise.

“What I didn’t know was how moved I would be by the whole experience,” Timberlake, 30, posted afterwards on his website.

Politico:

“To all of you that serve every day for us… Ensuring our freedom, I say: My deepest gratitude to you. I’ve met so many of my heroes… From Michael Jordan to Michael Jackson. And, nothing makes me feel more honor and pride than when I get to meet one of you. Last night changed my life and I will never forget it,”

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Most of our work on this site involves pointing out the shocking bias, political and economic ignorance, and general bad behavior of Hollywood movers and shakers.  Imagine my shock, surprise and glee to run across this excerpt from a recent GQ interview with the Marine Corps’ favorite actress…

…Mila Kunis:

GQ: Your new movie is called Friends with Benefits. Ever been in one of those relationships?

Mila Kunis: Oy. I haven’t, but I can give you my stance on it: It’s like communism — good in theory, in execution it fails. Friends of mine have done it, and it never ends well. Why do people put themselves through that torture?

Wait, did a young, on the rise actress just call Communism a great failure?  Did she just say that it may sound good in practice but never works?  By golly, I think she did!

And that’s pretty awesome.  From this quote can we determine that Ms. Kunis is a Randian Libertarian?  We know based on her selection of film work and various photo shoots that she most likely isn’t a member of the Family Leaders crowd.  Should we make a YouTube video and offer her a blog spot on Big Hollywood?

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Due to a scheduling conflict, Betty White broke his heart. But Sarah Connor herocially steps in to pick up the pieces:

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Via My Fox:

Thanks to Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis this has turned into one terrific story and an opportunity to finally write a series of positive posts about Hollywood in the tradition of the original Hollywood Canteen, an organization created by Bette Davis, John Garfield and others with the idea being to boost troop morale with a special place just for them where they could mingle with the stars. The price of admission: a uniform.

Not only have Timberlake and Kunis graciously accepted these charming invitations from two United States Marines, they’ve done so with class. Hopefully, this will start to spread and after ten long years of war some others in Tinseltown might decide to put aside partisan politics and show a similar graciousness to the men and women who make their artistic freedom possible. Which isn’t to say that some like Gary Sinise haven’t been there from the beginning.

The Daily Mail:

In a twist straight out of a fairy tale, Justin Timberlake has accepted a servicewoman’s invitation to the Marine Corps Ball. …

‘I’ll tell you what, I accept,’ the 30-year-old told reporters at a junket in Cancun, Mexico today of Kelsey De Santis’s request that he accompany her to the Washington, D.C. ball.

‘But not because she shouted out one of my songs, which I do love,’ he joked, De Santis referenced his hit Cry Me A River in her video invite.

‘And not because she had all those beefcake military guys behind her to intimidate me.’

The reason, Timberlake asserted is: ‘I don’t get asked out. Ever. So I was very flattered by that.’

‘If my schedule works out to do it, I’d love to do it. It’s an honour.’

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Great work from Hollie McKay at Fox 411:

Yes, Mila Kunis is a physically stunning woman with real star power, and true big screen charm and charisma (see the otherwise forgettable “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”), but today we’re talking about her gorgeous … mind.

Pajamas Media

GQ: Your new movie is called Friends with Benefits. Ever been in one of those relationships?

Mila Kunis: Oy. I haven’t, but I can give you my stance on it: It’s like communism—good in theory, in execution it fails. Friends of mine have done it, and it never ends well. Why do people put themselves through that torture?

And this is Kunis’s SECOND thing she’s done this week to get on conservatives’ good side. Earlier she accepted an invitation to the Marines Ball.

Now she comes out both against promiscuity AND communism in one sentence.

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Military Times:

Due to the immense media attention Sgt. Scott Moore has received for his YouTube Marine Corps Ball invitation to Mila Kunis and the operational tempo of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, he has elected to make a written statement and answer the most commonly asked questions. …

Q.1 Where are you and what do you do?
A.1 I currently serve as the data chief for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, based out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. My military occupational specialty is Data Systems Technician, which is responsible for implementing and monitoring security measures for Marine Corps communication information systems networks, and ensuring that systems and personnel adhere to established security standards. My unit is located within the district of Musa Qal’eh in the Northern Helmand province of Afghanistan.

Q.2 How did you come up with the idea for the video?
A.2 It was kind of a bet between me and Marines in my platoon. I told everyone I was going to do it, but they didn’t think I would go through with it. One day we had a couple minutes, and I took another Marine out with me and we shot two takes. The first one was without sunglasses but I was squinting too much because it was so bright, so we shot the one I uploaded to YouTube. The rest of the Marines liked it, so I posted it that day.

Q.3 When you posted the video, did you ever think you’d really get a date with Mila?
A.3 I always thought I had a chance, and sometimes that’s all you need. The Marines I work with did their best to spread it around.

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Two of the best military documentaries since Jake Rademacher’s Brothers at War premiered at the G. I. Film festival last weekend to incredible audience enthusiasm.  David Scantling’s Patrol Base Jaker and Mitty Giffis Mirrer’s Gold Star Children captured viewers with two completely divergent looks at the War on Terror.  Patrol Base Jaker won the G. I. Film Festival’s coveted Best Documentary Feature Award telling the behind the scenes story of a successful counter insurgency mission that many in the liberal press don’t want to acknowledge.

This is NOT a propaganda piece – Jaker shows just how difficult the job of counterinsurgency is, and how successful and rewarding it can be. The 1st Battalion 5th Marine Regiment’s Regimental Combat Team 3, the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, Combat Logistics Battalion 8 and the unit’s highly motivated civil affairs teams took over Patrol Base Jaker in the almost deserted Taliban controlled town of Nawa-l-Brakzayi in Helmand Province. The British unit that was relieved had been so under manned that they had to over depend on air support that sometimes killed and wounded local civilians.

Enter Jaker’s commanding officer Colonel William McCollough, a scholar-warrior of the best type who commands through example, intelligence and understanding. McCollough’s officers, NCO’s and enlisted personnel not only push back the Taliban from Nawa but implement a large number of successful civil affairs missions, ranging from rebuilding and resupplying local schools, clearing irrigation ditches and providing wheat seed to replace the poppies that help fund the Taliban. They also reinvigorate the abandoned market place, gradually getting the locals to bringing back almost 80 merchants and do their best to help reform the corrupt local governmental hierarchy and police. This is a film about gaining trust, one uneasy step at a time. (more…)

Liberal film critic, Roger Ebert, called Battle: Los Angeles “noisy, violent, ugly and stupid”.  BigHollywood.com Editor-In-Chief, John Nolte, called it “wildly entertaining and subversive”.  That was all I needed to read to know this was a “must see” movie.  And it most definitely is…in fact, movie goers overseas agree as this epic sci-fi film garnered a first place finish in its second weekend overseas bringing in $27.1 million…with Rango, the animated film about the chameloen sheriff (Johhny Depp) earning $17.5 million in its third weekend.  Now that’s American exceptionalism…on the big screen!

As a retired Air Force veteran, I viewed this movie from a slightly different vantage point than one who has never served in our armed forces. And I loved every minute of this fast-paced, heart-stopping, riveting movie…silently cheering on the small platoon of courageous Marines, led by 2nd Lieutenant William Martinez (Ramon Rodriguez), sent out on what seemed like a suicide mission to rescue a few stranded civilians in Santa Monica before the Air Force was to completely level the entire city that had fallen to a devastating alien invasion.

What was originally reported to be meteors falling into the ocean along the Los Angeles coastline (as well as the coastlines of 20 other major cities around the world) was quickly determined to be a well-orchestrated invasion of a massive force of seemingly impossible-to-kill aliens… and they were everywhere… annhilating everything and everyone in their path.  As I watched the fast-paced, chaotic, and gripping action unfold, I often found myself holding my breath and sitting on the edge of my seat — myheart racing wildly, pulling for our heroes.  It has been a long time since I’ve been to a movie that left me exhausted like that, in a good way.

I appreciated how they introduced each member of the platoon and gave us a little insight into their frame of mind just prior to their embarking on this terrifying mission, setting the stage for some of the heart-wrenching actions and decisions that occurred throughout the movie.  It made them more real to me, as real as the stories and situations faced every day by our men and women deploying overseas into hostile combat zones.

The main hero of the movie, Staff Sergeant Nantz (Aaron Eckhart), was very convincing as a tough, no-nonsense, war-weary Marine.  In spite of having just gotten his retirement papers signed — a man who was struggling with some demons from his past (something not uncommon to our brothers and sisters who have served in a war zone) — SSgt Nantz displayed the kind of leadership, ingenuity, courage, selflessness, and compassion commonly found in the members of our military, most especially in our Marines, who are always on the front lines … and go where few dare to go.

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The entire leftist, elitist entertainment media agrees: “Battle: Los Angeles,” the new alien invasion flick from director Jonathan Liebesman, is not worth your time.

So clearly, you have got to go see this movie!

On the most recent addition of Take A Movie to Work over at Declaration Entertainment, Bill Whittle discusses the importance of this terrific action movie, which – MOST SHOCKING, EXHILARATING SPOILER ALERT OF ALL TIME – makes American soldiers, the best people our society has to offer, look like THE BEST PEOPLE OUR SOCIETY HAS TO OFFER!

Missing are all of the clichés we have come to expect from movies that depict our fighting men and women. There are no brooding loaners bemoaning the futility of war, no racist loud-mouth adrenaline junkies itching to kill anything they don’t understand, the troops aren’t victims of nefarious political posturing or trying to steal from the third-world…

Even the relationship between Aaron Eckhart’s battle-hardened Staff Sergeant Nash and the fresh-faced, just-out-of-school, naive Lieutenant is respectful and authentic. When the Lieutenant breaks down from his first exposure to the chaos of battle, there is no condescending moment of the wise-old enlisted man rising up to take command. Instead, Eckhart reminds the younger man of his responsibility, pulls him out of his own head, prompts him to make a decision, and then says “Yes sir.”

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It must be the pro-military slant. There’s not a lot of other reasons I can think of why critics have been so eager to trash “Battle: Los Angeles,” a hybrid of “Black Hawk Down,” “District 9,” and “Independence Day” that incredibly manages to crib mostly the best parts of the three. It’s not as thematically sophisticated as the former two, true, though it’s easy to marvel at the ability of critics to selectively decide that one piece of slam-bang entertainment is worthy of our attention, then turn and denounce another as worthless for its lack of “useful” subtext.  

In a role that will have many an important casting director take note, Aaron Eckhart stars as SSgt. Nantz, a battle-hardened Marine who finds himself at the epicenter of the Los Angeles front during an alien invasion. His squad, which consists of a number of character types standard to war pic fare (the inexperienced officer, the engaged guy, etc.), in most cases successfully engender sympathy, providing they survive long enough. Many don’t, and die faceless to us, though the sight of Marines being butchered by extra-terrestrial intruders is affecting. The aliens, who never speak a word and clearly have no interest in diplomacy, are a stock sci-fi design of flesh and metal hybrid, but are rendered convincingly, and present serious danger as their lethality is unveiled over the course of the film’s many encounters.

For the sake of foreign grosses (and perhaps the good sensibilities of the average left-wing film critic), pic avoids any outright pro-America patriotism, though its admiration of one of the USA’s most revered institutions is none-too-subtle. Truthfully, this might actually be the most respectful and reverent portrayal of American servicemen since “Black Hawk Down,” certainly light-years away from the extreme pessimism of, well, any military pic about our dual wars. It’s telling of the direction our culture has been steered that scenes depicting Marines engaged in unvarnished heroism are often simply dismissed as shameless and simplistic, though an attentive news reader will find evidence of such bravery occurring daily on the front. When Nantz and squad opts out of an exit late in the film to launch a suicidal attack on the alien fortress, it’s in fact one of many moving, unironic moments that draw attention to the risks taken by those in uniform. Detractors may sneer at this as fiction, though consider a scene in the aforementioned “Black Hawk Down” that sees two Delta Force operators volunteer their lives to cover a downed chopper crew; that was genuinely real, so, in comparison, how one accuse can the fictional Marines of “Battle: Los Angeles” of bravery manufactured purely as propaganda? 

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A fight to the death in an urban hell between US Marines and an implacable, evil foe who murders civilians without a second thought – if only Hollywood had the moral courage to tell that story straight, the story of America’s finest who battled to victory over jihadi degenerates in Fallujah and throughout Iraq and Afghanistan.  But Hollywood can’t tell that story, not without exchanging the real menace our men and women are fighting everyday for a horde of CGI space aliens.  Sadly, the industry lacks the moral courage of the men and women it portrays.

Let’s be clear – Battle: Los Angeles is a terrific action film that makes no bones about its pro-American, pro-military agenda.  And that fact has invited carping from the usual suspects, lefty movie critics who work themselves up into a lather over the portrayal of better men than they will ever be.   

And note that when I use the term “men” here, I include the fighting women of the US armed forces – don’t worry, critics:  Heroines like Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester will protect you . . . just move to the rear with the children and try not to get in the way. 

The fact is that science fiction has long been a tool to comment on the present, including the relationship between our warriors and our society.  Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers was a fascinating depiction of military life as well as what the author saw as a degrading, decaying culture.  The Paul Verhoeven film of the same name, though different in tone, had its own insights into military vulture, including coed showers and a machine gun-packing Doogie Howser.

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Most people recognize retired U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor R. Lee Ermey from his iconic turn as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 Vietnam film “Full Metal Jacket.” Ever since he’s been a familiar, welcome, and energetic character actor popping up regularly in a number of films ranging from “Mississippi Burning” to the  horribly underrated “Saving Silverman.” Currently he can be seen as the host of  Lock N’ Load with R. Lee Ermey on the History Channel and in a hilarious Geico commerical.

According to YouTube, the video below is from an appearance earlier this month in Indianapolis to benefit the USO and Toys for Tots, one of my personal favorite charities started by Marine reservists in 1947 to collect Christmas toys for needy children in Los Angeles. Over the last 60 years it’s  grown into one of the most respected charities in the world, delivering hundreds of millions of toys to tens of millions of kids.

Enjoy the video. Ermey obviously knows his audience for they ate up every word of it. The good stuff starts at right around the 1:30 mark and there’s a transcript below the fold.

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My eldest son has decided that he wants to be a marine. His plan is to enter the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and then serve his country as an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

My son is still at an age when plans for the future change with the seasons. It may be that time brings about a change of his mind. Even so, when he announced his decision, I couldn’t help but smile. One often hears that this young generation is consumed with narcissism and the accumulation of wealth. When my son informed me that he wished to dedicate his life to serving his country, I felt a real sense of pride.

As we approach the 234th anniversary of this nation’s independence, I have begun to think about what that type of service truly entails. The Marine Corp recruiting billboards state that the Marines do not accept applications–just commitments. What is the depth of that commitment? (more…)

I don’t have much to say, and won’t until Episode Four.

This episode certainly speaks for itself, but there’s one thing I should note. If you found the first episode a little intense, you might want to steer clear of this one, as it makes the first one look like “The Brady Bunch.” Sample comment from someone who called me about a week after watching it: “I’ve been disturbed all week.” You will be taking one giant leap further into the heart of darkness. Shortly into the next episode, you will be firmly at its center.

And then I’ll have something to say.

**STRONG CONTENT WARNING**

If you’re new to all this, just click here for all the background, including the series prologue and Episode One, “Return To Ramadi.”

You can also see episodes from my time in the Triangle of Death, prior to Ramadi, as referenced in the series prologue, here.

I’ve been paging through this old scrapbook that Uncle Pete sent me.  An Australian woman named Jean made it for him during the war.  She must have spent tens of hours clipping out all the news articles and arranging them just so.  After the war, Jean sent the scrapbook to Pete’s mother.

I asked Uncle Pete about Melbourne.  He said that, while 1st Marines stayed at the Melbourne Cricket Grounds (M.C.G.), 7th Marines stayed at a place called Mt. Martha that was about 15 miles outside of Melbourne.

Pete told me that Australia was “a lot of fun.”  He was a little surprised by how it was portrayed in the series saying, “It wasn’t as bad as all that.”  He “didn’t see any bummin’ around or bar brawls” and informed me that, unless a Marine was squared away, he wasn’t getting any liberty.  “That’s not to say there wasn’t no drinkin’ goin’ on,” he laughed.

So, with Episode 3 we got a little drinking, a little romance (will someone please get Leckie a shoehorn?) and the Marines were off again. (more…)

Last week, Uncle Pete sent me a box full of history.  Books, photos, news clippings and the granddaddy of them all… a scrapbook meticulously prepared and maintained by an Australian girl during the war and sent to Uncle Pete’s mother.  That, however, is a story for next week.

As I carefully made my way through the contents of this box, I realized that I was holding history in my hands.  It was quite a feeling let me tell you.  I hope to share some of the items as the weeks commence.

PFC Pete Cavo with 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division

Episode two returns us to Guadalcanal.  The Marines have been here a while and they are tired, hungry and low on supplies.  I’m beginning to recognize some of these guys.  Marines at rest are an amusing bunch.  It’s an attitude that’s difficult to capture and almost impossible to reproduce.  Too often, Hollywood goes for the stereotypes.  Director David Nutter handles the men in these situations deftly.

The age-old rivalry between the US Army and Marines made me chuckle.  Marines have always been asked to do more with less and that is a tradition that continues today.  The pride that is instilled in every Marine is demonstrated by Chesty Puller’s order that all personnel be freshly shaved upon the arrival of the Army.  Then, rather than call attention to their tattered uniforms, Puller praises his “raggedy-ass Marines,” declaring that they “look this way for a reason.” (more…)

UPDATE: “The Congressional Medal of Honor” is now listed as the ”Medal of Honor” and the “Gladiator” film mentioned is no longer listed as the version directed by Ridley Scott. Thanks to our ever helpful fact-checking commenters.

Ed. Note: Starting Sunday, March 14th, HBO begins its 10-part miniseries “The Pacific,” which follows the United States Marine Corps through WWII in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. This $100 million production re-teams a number of those (including Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg) involved in HBO’s unforgettable 2001 miniseries, “Band of Brothers,” which many, including myself, consider to be one of the finest productions about WWII made for television or any other medium.

I’ve asked Michael Broderick, an actor, former Marine, and top-notch writer to be Big Hollywood’s point man on this project. He’ll be snagging whatever interviews he can, reviewing many if not all of the episodes, and keeping the Big Hollywood community up to date and informed on what is sure to be a seminal moment in television, a terrific piece of entertainment, and a worthy tribute to our Veterans. — JN

The Pacific:  An Interview with Jon Seda

What a long, strange trip it’s been.

I entered the Marine Corps in nineteen eighty *cough* at the tender age of seventeen, secure in the knowledge that upon completion of my four year hitch, I would move to Hollywood and become a popular and sought after actor.

Instead, I fell in lust and, upon leaving the Corps, followed my John Thomas to New York City.  That was okay.  They have actors in New York, right?

No contacts, no formal training and no idea what I was doing, I ended up in a fantastic little rock and roll band instead.  We made a good run of it through the 90s.  In fact, I met my wife while I was playing CBGB in 1998. (more…)

So James Cameron was just on “The View” Wednesday morning, and he was disarmingly frank about the premise and purpose of his film, “Avatar.” He plainly explained it was anti-corporate, and that his goal was to take that “subversive” message, and wrap it up in an entertaining vehicle in a way that America, or the world, would swallow it whole.

Check it out here:

I admire the guy for admitting that. But I just don’t see the subversion he’s talking about. I can’t remember the last time I saw a “pro-corporate” movie, which to me would be truly subversive. I mean, can you imagine a director making a film about a drug company that works tirelessly to come up with medications that saves millions of lives? That’s happened in real life – more than a couple of times. Still, no movie. However, Hollywood craps out a pro-environmental, anti-big business flick faster than I can say “Pass the Charmin.”

And I can say that pretty fast. (more…)