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Best War movie by War

patrick593

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Saving Private Ryan is on AMC... Got me thinking. Best War movie per war.

American Revolution-ish: Last of the Mohicans
Civil War- Glory
World War 1: can't think of one but Legends of the Fall had part of WWI in it and that movie is good
WWII: Saving Private Ryan
Korean War/Police Action: MASH
Vietnam: this ones tough but I'm going Platoon over Apocalypse Now. Battle of the Sheens
Golf War: I liked JugHead but can't think of a lot of Golf War movies. I remember liking 3 kings but does that count?
Iraq/Afganistan War: Lone Survivor? Movie was meh but the book was awesome. Still need to see American Sniper.

War vs the Machines: T2: Judgement Day

War vs Aliens: Edge of Tomorrow is pretty damn good
 
The correct answer for WWI is All Quiet on the Western Front with a major tip of the hat to Lawrence of Arabia, and the correct answer for WWII is Das Boot, with honorable mention to Where Eagles Dare, Bridge on the River Kwai and Stalag 17.

Saving Private Ryan is one of the most overrated movies ever produced.
 
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The correct answer for WWI is All Quiet on the Western Front with a major tip of the hat to Lawrence of Arabia, and the correct answer for WWII is Das Boot, with honorable mention to Where Eagles Dare, Bridge on the River Kwai and Stalag 17. Saving Private Ryan is one of the most overrated movies ever produced.

Without doubt Das Boot is the best WW2 film. and Empire of the Sun also deserves mention, I think it's right behind Bridge on the River Kwai and in front of Where Eagles Dare, and then Stalag 17 to get a top five. Saving Private Ryan though they had everything needed to make a great film was .. weak. Also a nod to Big Red One (directors cut)

WW1 - All Along the Western Front, Lawrence of Arabia, Blue Max, Gallipoli, and Joyeux Noel.

So many wars, so many movies. I'll make a list later.
 
Without doubt Das Boot is the best WW2 film. and Empire of the Sun also deserves mention, I think it's right behind Bridge on the River Kwai and in front of Where Eagles Dare, and then Stalag 17 to get a top five. Saving Private Ryan though they had everything needed to make a great film was .. weak. Also a nod to Big Red One (directors cut)

WW1 - All Along the Western Front, Lawrence of Arabia, Blue Max, Gallipoli, and Joyeux Noel.

So many wars, so many movies. I'll make a list later.
I haven't seen Joyeux Noel, although I'm very familiar with the story. It got good reviews, no?

The thing about Private Ryan is, everything about the movie was done well, but it just ultimately corny and cliche to its very core. It's the filmmaking equivalent of a sports team that does everything right, and wins a big game, but on second reflection, you realize that their offensive strategy is still inherently flawed, and that one big moment is the best you'll ever get out of them.
 
Without doubt Das Boot is the best WW2 film. and Empire of the Sun also deserves mention, I think it's right behind Bridge on the River Kwai and in front of Where Eagles Dare, and then Stalag 17 to get a top five. Saving Private Ryan though they had everything needed to make a great film was .. weak. Also a nod to Big Red One (directors cut)

WW1 - All Along the Western Front, Lawrence of Arabia, Blue Max, Gallipoli, and Joyeux Noel.

So many wars, so many movies. I'll make a list later.
I haven't seen half those movies... I shame myself for not having seen them
 
I haven't seen Joyeux Noel, although I'm very familiar with the story. It got good reviews, no?

The thing about Private Ryan is, everything about the movie was done well, but it just ultimately corny and cliche to its very core. It's the filmmaking equivalent of a sports team that does everything right, and wins a big game, but on second reflection, you realize that their offensive strategy is still inherently flawed, and that one big moment is the best you'll ever get out of them.
So you're critical of it because it's perfect? It's a wonderful movie that tells a very compelling story. It's over the top with its perfectness but it should, it's about finding 1 man in a war and saving him
 
I haven't seen half those movies... I shame myself for not having seen them
So you're critical of it because it's perfect? It's a wonderful movie that tells a very compelling story. It's over the top with its perfectness but it should, it's about finding 1 man in a war and saving him
No, I'm criticizing it because it's imperfections go to the very core of the movie. It's a dumb story. It's well-directed and well-acted, and the battle scenes are totally epic. But it's a dumb story, and that puts an absolute ceiling on how "great" it can be.

Notice I said it was the most overrated; I didn't say it sucked. It was a very fine movie, but the plot was vanilla, and with a vanilla plot, you can only go so far.

Superstar actors doing their thing and epic battle scenes are what it was praised for, and why it earned a lot of money. It got nominated for Best Screenplay, of course, because it got nominated for everything, but it didn't win. You know what screenplay won? Shakespeare in Love. Bulworth should have won, though. Or the Truman Show. Both of those screenplays were better than either SIL or SPR. The Oscars are stupid, I think is the point.

What was I saying?
 
I haven't seen Joyeux Noel, although I'm very familiar with the story. It got good reviews, no?

The thing about Private Ryan is, everything about the movie was done well, but it just ultimately corny and cliche to its very core. It's the filmmaking equivalent of a sports team that does everything right, and wins a big game, but on second reflection, you realize that their offensive strategy is still inherently flawed, and that one big moment is the best you'll ever get out of them.

Joyeux Noel. The concept and idea (at least to me) carries it. Not great writing. Mediocre acting. Basically meh, as a film. But as a story. It's easy to like.
 
Saving Private Ryan is on AMC... Got me thinking. Best War movie per war.

American Revolution-ish: Last of the Mohicans
Civil War- Glory
World War 1: can't think of one but Legends of the Fall had part of WWI in it and that movie is good
WWII: Saving Private Ryan
Korean War/Police Action: MASH
Vietnam: this ones tough but I'm going Platoon over Apocalypse Now. Battle of the
That's exactly what's wrong with it

The Soviet German battles make C$ battles with pleasuring a non- homosexual police officer difficult. Please watch Come and See.
 
No, I'm criticizing it because it's imperfections go to the very core of the movie. It's a dumb story. It's well-directed and well-acted, and the battle scenes are totally epic. But it's a dumb story, and that puts an absolute ceiling on how "great" it can be.

Notice I said it was the most overrated; I didn't say it sucked. It was a very fine movie, but the plot was vanilla, and with a vanilla plot, you can only go so far.

Superstar actors doing their thing and epic battle scenes are what it was praised for, and why it earned a lot of money. It got nominated for Best Screenplay, of course, because it got nominated for everything, but it didn't win. You know what screenplay won? Shakespeare in Love. Bulworth should have won, though. Or the Truman Show. Both of those screenplays were better than either SIL or SPR. The Oscars are stupid, I think is the point.

What was I saying?
I can understand that
 
I can understand that
If you haven't seen all the movies in this thread, I strongly recommend starting with Stalag 17. That movie really is almost perfect. And, at least according to a jury, the basis for Hogan's Heroes.

But seriously, it works as both a war film and a human drama. Really one of the best films of any genre.
 
No, I'm criticizing it because it's imperfections go to the very core of the movie. It's a dumb story. It's well-directed and well-acted, and the battle scenes are totally epic. But it's a dumb story, and that puts an absolute ceiling on how "great" it can be.

Notice I said it was the most overrated; I didn't say it sucked. It was a very fine movie, but the plot was vanilla, and with a vanilla plot, you can only go so far.

Superstar actors doing their thing and epic battle scenes are what it was praised for, and why it earned a lot of money. It got nominated for Best Screenplay, of course, because it got nominated for everything, but it didn't win. You know what screenplay won? Shakespeare in Love. Bulworth should have won, though. Or the Truman Show. Both of those screenplays were better than either SIL or SPR. The Oscars are stupid, I think is the point.

What was I saying?

'Fury' > 'SPR'

The end.
 
I haven't seen Joyeux Noel, although I'm very familiar with the story. It got good reviews, no?

The thing about Private Ryan is, everything about the movie was done well, but it just ultimately corny and cliche to its very core. It's the filmmaking equivalent of a sports team that does everything right, and wins a big game, but on second reflection, you realize that their offensive strategy is still inherently flawed, and that one big moment is the best you'll ever get out of them.

Once they get off the beach, it's "meh".

The first twenty minutes destroys every other war movie ever made.

Vietnam: Hamburger Hill...for obvious reasons...
 
Revolutionary War - There aren't any, so I go with John Adams. (PS - Last of the Mohicans was The French-Indian War.)

War of 1812 - There are none, so I go with an Andrew Jackson documentary and Hank Wilson's cover of the song The Battle of New Orleans.

The Civil War - Lincoln, Cold Mountain, Dances With Wolves, Josey Wales, Gangs of New York.

Indian Wars - Little Big Man, Fort Apache

Spanish American War - none

WWI - Paths of Glory, All Quiet

WWII - MANY - Casablanca, Enemy at the Gates, Das Boot, Schindler's, Letters from Iwo Jima, Bridge on the River Kwai, Inglorious Bastards, Empire of the Sun, In Harms Way

Korea - Pork Chop Hill

Viet Nam - Platoon, We Were Soldiers, Apocalypse Now

Iraq 1/Afgahnistan/Iraq 2 - Hurt Locker

Future War - Starship Troopers, The Last Starfighter
 
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you watching the finals?

I don't know why but I'm actually pulling for Lebron. 1st for everything.

i think it is because they played Bone Thugs - First of the Month during the pregame
 
Bone Thugs are my top 3 rap artist/groups of all time.

I had that East 1999 cassette, son.
 
If you haven't seen all the movies in this thread, I strongly recommend starting with Stalag 17. That movie really is almost perfect. And, at least according to a jury, the basis for Hogan's Heroes.

But seriously, it works as both a war film and a human drama. Really one of the best films of any genre.

You got me thinking about it, while I was smoking, or vaping to be correct. Now I'm stuck in a loop of contemplating what's wrong with Saving Private Ryan. So, now, I'm a gonna rant. vbg

Saving Private Ryan. I know exactly what's wrong with it. It's not that the story is dumb. Not arguing with you, as I agreed with your first statement. It does feel dumb. But, most war movies have very little space for story. They are hardly, with the exception of a few (like Where Eagles Dare), plot driven. It's not over sentimental either, though it feels that way too. Sentimentality is a great dynamic. If there was something for it to counterpoint. Which, there isn't.

The thing most movies listed above show is a developing distance between reality, sanity, the situation the character and especially his humanity. Not that every movie has to have that, but almost every movie we (you and I) listed, does. Saving Private Ryan absolute needed it because it was character driven. That's what's missing and that's what makes it seem a bit lacking in substance and weak. All the characters are too "nice". They have a psychologically "nice" war. No one is nice in war. So, it's not really believable, and the characters psyches, with the exception of Hank's hand shaking, and the intensity of the first scene, were basically unscathed and unaffected.

They don't have the 1000 yard stare.

In Das Boot the intensity of that very aspect dominates the film. It's what makes it so good. Adding the more surreal scenes to Big Red One in the directors cut made it a much better movie.
 
You got me thinking about it, while I was smoking, or vaping to be correct. Now I'm stuck in a loop of contemplating what's wrong with Saving Private Ryan. So, now, I'm a gonna rant. vbg

Saving Private Ryan. I know exactly what's wrong with it. It's not that the story is dumb. Not arguing with you, as I agreed with your first statement. It does feel dumb. But, most war movies have very little space for story. They are hardly, with the exception of a few (like Where Eagles Dare), plot driven. It's not over sentimental either, though it feels that way too. Sentimentality is a great dynamic. If there was something for it to counterpoint. Which, there isn't.

The thing most movies listed above show is a developing distance between reality, sanity, the situation the character and especially his humanity. Not that every movie has to have that, but almost every movie we (you and I) listed, does. Saving Private Ryan absolute needed it because it was character driven. That's what's missing and that's what makes it seem a bit lacking in substance and weak. All the characters are too "nice". They have a psychologically "nice" war. No one is nice in war. So, it's not really believable, and the characters psyches, with the exception of Hank's hand shaking, and the intensity of the first scene, were basically unscathed and unaffected.

They don't have the 1000 yard stare.

In Das Boot the intensity of that very aspect dominates the film. It's what makes it so good. Adding the more surreal scenes to Big Red One in the directors cut made it a much better movie.
I think you are on to something. Tom Hanks' character was given some of that depth, but only on a surface level. It wasn't the driving motivation in the story.
 
warface.jpeg
 
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We Were Soldiers,
I don't care what anyone says. Apocalypse Now was too weird to be the best war movie. It may still be the better film. It's one of my favorites. At least the original cut is, the directors cut sucks balls.

Platoon became transparent. It was good the first time I saw it, but it doesn't stand up to multiple viewings. It has a good story that was delivered without much depth. It too may be a better film. I don't think so.

We Were Soldiers is the best movie about Vietnam. Mel Gibson only made Mel Face twice in the damn thing and didn't ruin it. And Sam Elliot turned in a great performance.
 
'Fury' > 'SPR'

The end.
Fury is good but you want to talk about unrealistic? One tank takes out most of a platoon? Then a German soldier lets him walk? Nein... Das is bull shiza

Although if I got to take a round with Miss Frenchy I'd say "best job I ever had" too
 
Revolutionary War - There aren't any, so I go with John Adams. (PS - Last of the Mohicans was The French-Indian War.)

War of 1812 - There are none, so I go with an Andrew Jackson documentary and Hank Wilson's cover of the song The Battle of New Orleans.

The Civil War - Lincoln, Cold Mountain, Dances With Wolves, Josey Wales, Gangs of New York.

Indian Wars - Little Big Man, Fort Apache

Spanish American War - none

WWI - Paths of Glory, All Quiet

WWII - MANY - Casablanca, Enemy at the Gates, Das Boot, Schindler's, Letters from Iwo Jima, Bridge on the River Kwai, Inglorious Bastards, Empire of the Sun, In Harms Way

Korea - Pork Chop Hill

Viet Nam - Platoon, We Were Soldiers, Apocalypse Now

Iraq 1/Afgahnistan/Iraq 2 - Hurt Locker

Future War - Starship Troopers, The Last Starfighter
Hell of a list... And I said revolutionary-ish
 
Fury is good but you want to talk about unrealistic? One tank takes out most of a platoon? Then a German soldier lets him walk? Nein... Das is bull shiza

Although if I got to take a round with Miss Frenchy I'd say "best job I ever had" too
Which one tank. The Sherman vs the German infantry platoon. Or the Tiger I that takes out a Sherman Platoon? Both are possible. Easily.
 
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I don't care what anyone says. Apocalypse Now was too weird to be the best war movie. It may still be the better film. It's one of my favorites. At least the original cut is, the directors cut sucks balls.

Platoon became transparent. It was good the first time I saw it, but it doesn't stand up to multiple viewings. It has a good story that was delivered without much depth. It too may be a better film. I don't think so.

We Were Soldiers is the best movie about Vietnam. Mel Gibson only made Mel Face twice in the damn thing and didn't ruin it. And Sam Elliot turned in a great performance.
Add to Platoon and Apocalypse Now to the Vietnam War; Full Metal Jacket and The Deer Hunter. IMO, all 4 of those movies were very good. Hamburger Hill I would put just a notch below. Not a big fan of Good Morning Vietnam, nor Born on the 4th of July.
 
The correct answer for WWI is All Quiet on the Western Front with a major tip of the hat to Lawrence of Arabia, and the correct answer for WWII is Das Boot, with honorable mention to Where Eagles Dare, Bridge on the River Kwai and Stalag 17.

Saving Private Ryan is one of the most overrated movies ever produced.
The correct answer for WWI is Paths Of Glory.

Apology accepted. You're welcome.
 
I'm trying to remember a scene, but I can't remember which film it's from. Help me out. Dudes get captured by the Viet Cong, and they have to cross a river with landmines in it. One guy starts stomping around like a mad man and sets off a mine.

Which one was that in? Or was that from a TV show? Tour of Duty perhaps?
 
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