The Weight of the Uniform
A Mini Film Program: No. 01
Hey everyone—I’m back! And stressed… I mean better than ever!
(Just kidding. Sort of. 🙃)
In all seriousness, I’m super excited to kick off this brand new (not really sure what to call it) mirco-film program series with you. There are a bunch of reasons why, but mainly—this shift just feels right. I can’t wait to dive into these films and discuss them with you more in depth.
As I mentioned before, these new 3-film programs will now go out weekly. They’ll be the centerpiece for all future film reviews and FILMS for Your Consideration posts. I’ll pick my favorite of the three to send to your inbox directly—and the other two will be posted as shorter reviews on Substack Notes.
(Another quick plug: if you haven’t downloaded the Substack app yet, definitely do it! Their Notes section and feature is becoming a beautiful, bustling community of creatives—journalists, artists, filmmakers, finance folks—you name it. Personally, it’s been amazing connecting with other movie lovers and film collectors there. It’s only fueling the fire even more.)
I’ve been offline the last couple weeks, spending some much-needed time with my daughter. In between, I also found time to reorganize and expand my film collection—and even bond with her over it. Watching the spark of inspiration light up her eyes as we shared movies like The Minecraft Movie, The Sound of Music (her pick!), and Interstella 5555 (Daft Punk’s animated musical short film)—those moments reminded me exactly why I’m doing this.
And honestly, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more I’m excited to share with you in the coming weeks.
But for now… let’s kick things off properly with our first micro-program…
The Weight of the Uniform
Okay, so this concentrated trio studies the emotional toll of duty and the collapse of identity beneath the armor of honor.
The Four Feathers frames the journey with its overt reckoning: a man shamed for abandoning war must prove his worth outside the system that condemned him.
In Beau Travail, war exists as choreography—rituals of obedience masking inner disintegration.
Finally, Lawrence of Arabia explodes into grandiosity, where personal ambition, colonial theater, and shifting allegiances all clash in the desert heat.
Each film deconstructs masculinity in isolation, revealing men pulled between myth and reality—where the uniform either erases or magnifies who they truly are. The desert, in its silence, becomes the ultimate interrogator.
“True courage is not the ability to face death. True courage is the ability to face life.” - Dir. Shekhar Kupur, The Four Feathers
Feel free to download & save this one-pager! 👆🏼
A Closer Look - Themes, Styles, & Where to Watch
The Four Feathers (2002)
Moral conflict, British colonialism, friendship under duress.
Sweeping visuals, traditional narratives.
Available to rent or buy on VOD.
Beau Travail (1999)
Repression, jealousy, rigid masculinity.
Highly visual, abstract, poetic structure.
Available to stream on Criterion Channel, & MAX.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Ambition, identity, and empire.
Epic scare, iconic cinematography, internal descent mirrored in desert.
Available to stream on Prime Video, & TCM.
Follow along!
Grab your pen and journal, or your favorite note taking app, and answer the Post-Watch Prompts to further explore the themes, stories, and messages in these films. And if you feel comfortable, drop me a line in the comments section below, or, over on Substack Notes so we can open up the discussion to our growing community.
Pen, Paper, & Heart: Legacy
MOTIONLESS MOMENTS
In the midst of a transition
sadness passes,
and new presence enters our hearts,
its innermost most chambers;
our bloodstream.
We have changed -
as a house that a guest has entered
changes -
the future transformed in that
motionless moment.
That is why it’s so important
to be solitary and attentive when one is sad.
We could easily be made to believe,
“nothing happened.”👉Discover more found poems like this one here.👈
Side Notes: In Case You Missed It…
Always Be Collecting
Headed home (waiting for my bus actually) after dropping my daughter off from our week long staycation. But of course, I couldn’t go home empty handed. 😂
I stopped by one of the only shops open in Easton, PA that carry physical media, at the moment, aaaaand walked away with more than I should have. Also found another gem at nearby antique shop.
Here’s the full list of what I picked up, and expect a full Thrift Picks video coming soon!
“N” = New addition
“U” = Upgrade
“D” = Double Dip (picking up the same movie again):
VHS
Star Wars Trilogy, 1995 “Faces” Edition - N 😱
DVD’s
The Arrival (1996) - N
Black Hawk Down, 3-Disc Deluxe Edition (my 4th copy/version) - D
The Brothers Bloom - N
Dallas Buyers Club - N
Grindhouse, Collector’s Edition: Planet Terror - N / Death Proof - D
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story - N
East of Eden, 2-Disc Special Edition - N
Edge of Darkness - N
Imitation of Life: Two Movie Special Edition - 1934 & 1959 Versions - N
Jackie Brown, Collector’s Edition - UD
King Arthur, Director’s Cut: Extended Unrated Version - N
Kingsman: The Secret Service - N
Last Action Hero - N
The Legend of Zorro, Full Screen Special Edition - N
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Special Edition - N
Once Upon a Time in America, Extended Director’s Cut - N
Patton, 2-Disc Special Edition - N
Reservoir Dogs, Special Ten Year Anniversary: Mr. Brown Edition - D
Resident Evil: Extinction, Widescreen Special Edition - N
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - N
Silverado, Collector’s Edition - N
Spy Game - N
Stripes - N
True Romance - N
U.S. Marshals - N
Ultraviolet - N
We Own the Night - N
Blu-ray’s
Double Feature: Troy, Director’s Cut - NUD / Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut - UD
Double feature: Dirty Harry - N / Magnum force - N
In Time - N
Inglorious Basterds, Special Edition - UD
Sucker Punch, Extened Cut - N
Suicide Squad, Extended Cut - N
Tropic Thunder, Director’s Cut - UD
How many of these are in your collection?
How many have you seen?
