Introducing AMERICA MONTH
Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with a month of America-themed programming
Hey y’all! America’s bisesquicentennial (I’ve been waiting years to be able to say that word publicly) is this year, so what better way to celebrate our great country than with four America-themed movie reviews?!
I’ve broken down the question of “what is an American movie” into two categories: movies about America, and movies from iconic American genres.
The two movies about America are both war movies, not by design but just because these are the two eras that stood out to me from a movie standpoint. (My personal favorite period in American history is the Westward Expansion, because I’m a nerd and I love historical maps; if anyone has found a map-centered movie, please contact me ASAP.) I’m beginning the month with the Revolutionary War era (America’s founding generation), and and ending it with WWII (our Greatest generation).
The two iconic American genre movies fill out the middle of the month. Of course I have to include a great American Western, so for the second week I’m reviewing a Western starring the most iconic American actor of all time. I’m also doing a musical - maybe not as iconic as some other genres like the noir, but I needed something to lighten it all up; so for the third week I’m doing the most iconic American musical of all time.
Revolutionary War, Western, Musical, WWII. The war movies are relatively new and the genre movies are much older. In all, I think I’ve selected a pretty good swath of what an “American movie” has to offer.
If you couldn’t already tell, I love America: I love her history and great men (especially the Founding Fathers); I love her geography, expansion, and national landmarks; I love her Declaration, Constitution, and other founding documents; and I love her art, culture, cuisine, and folk music. I’m tremendously excited to celebrate America’s 250th birthday here on St. Luke‘S Sketchbook, and I’d like to thank you in advance for celebrating with me.
Mary Conceived Without Sin, patroness of the United States of America, pray for us.
Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, pray for us.