War Films

[Loki Ahmrah]

In your opinion, which are the best war movies? I am really interested in the genre and want to do a bit of crazy viewing. :)

[Figrin D'an]

A few that I like, in no particular order...

Das Boot
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Band of Brothers (I know it's not a movie, but it's really good).
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket


Das Boot and The Bridge on the River Kwai are absolute must-sees, however, if you are limited on time.

[ReaperFett]

In no particular order:

Kelly's Heroes
The Dirty Dozen
The Great Escape
Zulu
The Longest Day (Epic in every meaning of the word)
Black Hawk Down
Windtalkers (Not one of the best, but worth a watch)
Starship Troopers (This isnt really Sci Fi. It's a war film, IMO)
Where Eagles Dare
Bridge on the River Kwai
Three Kings
Dad's Army (Is on over Chistmas)
Hot Shots!
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Platoon (Not the best IMO, but on over Christmas)

[Admiral Lebron]

Hmm...

Das Boot
Midway
Bridge over River Kwai
Band of Brothers
Black Hawk Down
We Were Soldiers
Platoon
Zulu
The Alamo
Full Metal Jacket

[BUFFJEDI]

there is only one HEART BREAK RIDGE:)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Have to mention Saving Private Ryan, and Sands of Iwo Jima are the only other two great ones not mentioned.

[JonathanLB]

I've seen a number of war films lately.

I would recommend anything on the AFI list, actually, but let me be specific.

All Quiet on the Western Front -- old, yes, but very powerful.

Platoon is a really good anti-war movie too, a great film I think.

The Bridge on the River Kwai, of course, what a great movie.

Apocalypse Now is a must-see of course.

I really enjoy A Bridge Too Far, I absolutely highly recommend that -- GREAT cast! I don't care about it's somewhat average rating at IMDB.com, it's a very worthwhile movie and I think you'd like it.

There are so many others, but you could check some of them out at:

http://www.filmsite.org -- search for war movies and they have a big-<smallfont color={hovercolor}>-Censored-</smallfont> listing of great ones. I love that site.

I've also reviewed the movies I mentioned above.

[JMK]

Saving Private Ryan
Bridge on the River Kwai
Tora Tora Tora
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
Apocalypse Now
Platoon
Hamburger Hill

[JonathanLB]

No offense, but blah to We Were Soldiers. Of all the great war films, avoid that, it doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as even something like U-571, jesus.

I mean, what the hell do we need to see all of these women for OVER and OVER again in We Were Soldiers holding meaningless conversations and distracting from the plot? I was incredibly disappointed with that meandering, fairly average film. It could have been so good and instead it was overly sentimental and boring.

Windtalkers was good but disappointing too, I wasn't happy with the war films this year.

You're right abot Black Hawk Down, though, it's a great one. It's not a "war" film as much as it is a battle film, but the battle is so amazingly well captured I just can't believe anyone could make a movie like that. It's insanely well crafted, and that is not surprising given that Ridley Scott did it. I think he's one of the 20 best directors of all time easily.

[Shawn]

Black Hawk Down
Apocalypse Now
Full Metal Jacket
Saving Private Ryan

Those are about the only war films I can think of that I enjoyed, off the top of my head.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

Enemy at the Gates


Takes place during a war. :)

[Jedieb]

Full Metal Jacket is the best Basic Training movie ever made. Nothing else even comes close in that aspect. The second half of the film is less satisfying, but the beginning is dead on. Oh, the joy of blanket parties...

Platoon
Black Hawk Down
Apocalypse Now
Hamburger Hill
Saving Private Ryan
The Dirty Dozen
The Great Escape

and there's a bunch I've forgotten. Lots of good choices here.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Platoon

Saving Private Ryan

Hunt For Red October

Navy Seals (I think thats the name of it)

[ReaperFett]

The one with Charley Sheen?

[JMK]

That movie was awesome! :lol Charlie Sheen, Michael Biehn! What's better than that? Nothing.

[ReaperFett]

I liked it too :)

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Yes, with Charley Sheen :) It was a good movie! I liked Barry Pepper who played the guy up in the tower and they called him "god".......thats the right movie...........right? :lol

[ReaperFett]

Close. Barry Pepper was the sniper in Saving Private Ryan :)

Think it was Bill Paxton

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

I remember that Barry Pepper was the sniper in SPR, but I was thinking he was in Navy Seals as well. But I do remember that someone in that movie was called god. Guess I'll have to watch it again, huh?

[Taylor Millard]

A Bridge Too Far is good also.

Everything else has been mentioned.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Wasnt there another war flick that came out about the same time as Platoon did?

[ReaperFett]

That's not particularly descriptive ;)

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Thats all I can remember about it, lol. I dont remember if Platoon came out first or if the other movie did but thier release was really close to each other...maybe 2-6 months?

[Jedieb]

You might be thinking about Hamburger Hill. I remember those two not being that far apart.

[Darth Viscera]

I'm really surprised that no one here has mentioned "A Midnight Clear".

[JMK]

Michael J Fox was in a war movie too, but I forget which one. At least I think he was.


I mean, what the hell do we need to see all of these women for OVER and OVER again in We Were Soldiers holding meaningless conversations and distracting from the plot?

Because there are 2 sides to the war. I thought it was refreshing to see what the women back home were going through. I can't remember another movie that really did that.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

Thank you, JMK! :D

The war was fought on the homefront as well. The women had to raise the kids by themselves, work at jobs--some of them for the first time in thier lives--not to mention that everyone else had to adjust to the rationing and metal drives, etc. It was a major effort on everyone's part.

[Darth Viscera]

Rationing and metal drives....are you thinking of the same Vietnam war that I am? Did their new jobs include riveting B-17 bombers too?

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

:Poke Vis

I thought we were on WW2! :mneh

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

Band of Brothers (You don't make war stories any better, period)
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The Rest:
Saving Private Ryan (just for overall tone)
We Were Soldiers (for the emotional involvement of everyone affected by war)
Platoon (Best Vietnam Paradigm depiction ever)
The Thin Red Line (kind of iffy, but the best cinematography I've ever seen in any movie. It looks like your mind's eye reading a novel)
The Longest Day (simply a must see)
Midway (same as above)
Full Metal Jacket (aforementioned, best depiction of basic training ever.)
Apocalypse Now (a hidden allegory reference to Heart of Darkness, but still good. I want to see Redux!)
The Razor's Edge (Technically not a total war movie, but its one of my favorite movies, and an excellent typecast-breaker for Bill Murray)
Memphis Belle (Wonderful movie that delves into an aspect of WW2 most ignore.)
Enemy at the Gates (EXTREMELY historically accurate, except for the very end.)

One I don't care much for:
U-571 (Somebody didn't do much homework on WW2 sub history or combat)

[Jedieb]

The war was fought on the homefront as well. The women had to raise the kids by themselves, work at jobs--some of them for the first time in thier lives--not to mention that everyone else had to adjust to the rationing and metal drives, etc. It was a major effort on everyone's part.

My mother went through hell when I was off at war. All the messages and letters saying I was fine did little to ease her mind. That's an important aspect of war and it'd be something I'd be interested in seeing in a war movie. I haven't seen WWWS, but now I'm looking forward to it. I think we got a glimpse of this inn SPRyan. That scene with at the mother's home was very touching.

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

Its a good portrayal, but be warned. It comes off as cheesy and shoddily acted at times...thats why it doesn't fully sell.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Well, Let me see. If Braveheart and the Patriot count, then those were good war movies. But if they don't count, then I'm afraid I have yet to see a war movie that really holds my attention.

[Jedieb]

Have you seen M.A.S.H.? Talk about a dark comedy.

[Commander Zemil Vymes]

I think we're talking only of war portrayals in the 20th century. Otherwise, it would be impossible to draw the line.

[Daiquiri Van-Derveld]

I liked the series MASH but I never could get into the movie, Jed. It just couldnt hold my attention :\

[Figrin D'an]

Enemy at the Gates is pretty good. There were a couple things about it that bugged me, but I still like it.

I've alway been partial to Memphis Belle. I felt the cast worked together so well, and it made it all the more realistic. And, yes, it talks about a very much overlooked part of WWII.

M.A.S.H. is an excellent film, IMO, but it's not for everyone. As Jedieb said, there is some really harsh and dark wit in the film, and that just isn't everyone's cup of tea.


And, if we're going to throw in stuff outside of 20th Century warfare, then we can't continue without mentioning "Glory," easily the best American Civil War film ever made.

[JMK]

How about Amistad?

I really enjoyed Memphis Belle too. Forgot about that one. :)
Does 13 Days count?

[Diego Van Derveld]

13 days doesn't, IMO.

[Loki Ahmrah]

It's been bloody ages since this topic was began and my profuse thanks for your input. I'm now on somewhat of a war movie high and for the last three nights I've had the pleasure of watching three excellent war films. I have the next week off work and on top of a great deal of catching up on roleplaying I will be watching a good number of war movies which I am really looking forward to. :)

On my list so far, I have:

<LI>Behind Enemy Lines
<LI>Black Hawk Down
<LI>Bridge on the River Kwai
<LI>Full Metal Jacket
<LI>Platoon
<LI>Saving Private Ryan

Over the next week I'll be watching, probably in this order:

We Were Soldiers
Apocalypse Now Redux.
Tora! Tora! Tora!
The Longest Day
Hamburger Hill
Memphis Belle
Enemy at the Gates

Unfortunately, my local rental store doesn't have Band of Brothers available so when I get paid next month I am simply going to put my good faith in the words of praise I've heard and buy the DVD boxset.

Of the films I've seen most recently, I am suprised by how different they are from eacxh other. I suppose that is down to my ignorance of assumption that war films would be very similar, hence the reason why I haven't watched that many thus far. "Bridge on the River Kwai" was an absolute delight. Alec Guinness' portrayal of Colonel Nicholson was wonderful and certainly memorable. "Black Hawk Down" was visually stunning in every way, the imagery was powerful and direction superb. One of the first I hope to own on DVD. "Platoon" thus far has been my favourtie. Cinematic, powerful and personal; performances were excellent and the plot gripping.

[Denali Gue]

Its been many years since Ive seen 'Tora! Tora! Tora!', but from what I remember, it was pretty good. Isnt it told more from the Japanese point of view?

[Diego Van Derveld]

Yep

[JMK]

'Tora! Tora! Tora!' is great, and it was made into a terrific DVD as well.