Best War Movie Ever!

[Londonboy]

Not important to the story they were telling?

It's a shame they didn't actually recreate the battle authentically, TBoSB was WW's finest tactical triumph.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I remember seeing Saving Private Ryan in the theater with my girlfriend. The opening 10-15 minutes really shook me up. I remember my high school history teacher telling us the average lifespan of the soldiers storming the beach at Normandy was something ridiculous like 17 seconds. I left that movie with a great admiration for those brave men.

 

[Khartun]

I consider Midway (2019) one of the best war movies I've ever seen. Why didn't y'all like it?

I liked it ok but I prefer the 1976 version.

 

[CouchCoach]

I liked it ok but I prefer the 1976 version.

They packed that one with stars like they did The Longest Day and that is always my immediate follow up to Tora! Tora! Tora!, got to have that happy ending.

 

[jsb357]

Not my favorite but Breaker Morant shows the problems and pitfalls of
trying to fight a "gentleman's war" in the age of guerrilla warfare.

 

[RJ_MacReady]

If I'm choosing an Epic, star-studded film: The Longest Day

If I'm choosing a war film that I personally never get tired of watching: Platoon

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Not important to the story they were telling?

Should have been. It was a huge victory and part of that victory was due to the bridge being a bottleneck situation that worked in the favor of the scottish warriors. They let a set number of english soldiers cross that they felt they could defeat and basically controlled the bridge which kept reinforcements coming across.

So I would say it should have been a very important part of the story.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Not really fair as it is not a movie...but I have always said that Band of Brothers was the best WWII movie/series ever.

Saving Private ryan opening scenes and ending scenes are great, but most of the stuff in the middle was nowhere as good.

On a side note, I have enjoyed most of the movies mentioned in this thread as I love WWII movies. I did not see either of these two mentioned so I will add them even though I don't think they are the "best". Where Eagles Dare and The Devil's Brigade.

 

[Joe Realist]

Platoon

 

[Khartun]

Not really fair as it is not a movie...but I have always said that Band of Brothers was the best WWII movie/series ever.

Saving Private ryan opening scenes and ending scenes are great, but most of the stuff in the middle was nowhere as good.

On a side note, I have enjoyed most of the movies mentioned in this thread as I love WWII movies. I did not see either of these two mentioned so I will add them even though I don't think they are the "best". Where Eagles Dare and The Devil's Brigade.

I'll rewatch Band of Brothers once or twice every year. I love it!

 

[CouchCoach]

Not really fair as it is not a movie...but I have always said that Band of Brothers was the best WWII movie/series ever.

Saving Private ryan opening scenes and ending scenes are great, but most of the stuff in the middle was nowhere as good.

On a side note, I have enjoyed most of the movies mentioned in this thread as I love WWII movies. I did not see either of these two mentioned so I will add them even though I don't think they are the "best". Where Eagles Dare and The Devil's Brigade.

Two excellent additions.

 

[CouchCoach]

I'll rewatch Band of Brothers once or twice every year. I love it!

Yep and I follow that with "The Pacific" and I've never seen it explained why they didn't do the same with that with the real men that lived through that unless there were no surviving members. I wish Spielberg/Hanks would do one for the Navy and Air Force.

 

[Joe Realist]

 

[John813]

Black Hawk Down.

(Not a US war per say, but a conflict we were in)

Loaded cast, "realistic for a movie", great action scenes.

I was talking to Blackburn the other day, and he asked me "What changed? Why are we going home?" and I said "Nothing." That's not true either; I think everything's changed. I know I've changed.
You know a friend of mine asked me before I got here; it's when we were all shipping out. He asked me "Why are you going to fight somebody else's war? What, do you think you're heroes?" I didn't know what to say at the time, but if he'd ask me again I'd say no. I'd say there's not way in hell. Nobody asks to be a hero. It just sometimes turns out that way.


The ending quote always gets me in tears.
"My love: You are strong and you will do well in life. I love you and my children deeply. Today and tomorrow let each day grow and grow. Keep smiling and never give up, even when things get you down. So in closing my love, tonight tuck my children in bed warmly, tell them I love them, then hug them for me and give them both a kiss goodnight for daddy."

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

IDK, for me, I always enjoy sitting down of an afternoon and just watching From Here To Eternity. I mean, I know it's not the kind of War picture most of us really think of but it takes place in 41 in Hawaii, during the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Maybe it's cause my Grandma always loved that movie. I must have watched that movie with her 20 times, over the years.

I haven't yet seen Greyhound but I hear it's pretty good so I'll have to check it out. I enjoy watching Patton, for no other reason then the fact that my grandfather had ties to a lot of that content. Saving Private Ryan is a really good picture as well. Platoon is even better IMO.

 

[Ranched]

The Bridge On The River Kwai. This film set a precedent for the war film genre in 1957. It also was nominated for an insane amount of Oscars,
winning seven.

 

[catiii]

So many good ones, I'll give this one because it's a history of 2 of our allies that fought beside us in every war, that many kids in public schools never even knew about and can't even find on a map. "DANGER CLOSE: THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN" - 108 ANZACS at a firebase hold off a force of 2500.

 

[Established1971]

My favorite, and also from a film quality point of view (cinematography, editing, sound, music, etc) Full Metal Jacket is a clear choice, yet I still wouldnt say it is the best. Apocalypse Now might be my choice for best, but its a hard call. Frankly the vast majority of war films are middling mediocre films.

 

[Runwildboys]

Starship Troopers

 

[aria]

Being a history major I love all war/historical movies but I’m a stickler for accuracy which most fall short of.
I’m disgusted I haven’t seen the best war movie of all time, IMO, even mentioned. Not only was it arguably our nations most important war but the entire ~4 hour movie is all about possibly the most important battle during that war.

Ted Turner was a Civl War guru and he funded it, this movie does a very good job with accuracy IMO and is filled with A+ actors (Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels, Thomas C Howell, Sam Elliott, Stephen Lang) just to name a few. Incredible battles scenes and sound.

Wait for it, wait for it...based on the battle and book Killer Angels...

GETTYSBURG

Do yourself a favor an watch it, it also has a “sequel” that is still very good but slower and it’s based off the book Gods and Generals (Killer Angels authors son wrote this book) and this was another Ted Turner film which is centered around Fredericksburg. There are a lot of the same actors playing different roles (Lang is Jackson instead of Pickett; Sheen who played Lee is replaced with Robert Duvall).

Its another ~4 hour film and this one is named after the book...GODS AND GENERALS

Hope some of you actually watch these, especially Gettysburg, I’d find it hard to believe you wouldn’t love it even if you’re not that interested in the Civil War. I’d be very interested to hear feedback from those who have actually seen it or after they see it.