Top 10 War Movies of all Time

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 10/31/2017 | J Hines

[w1n1]

What’s your top 10 war movies that would make you binge watch all day? This list ranks the best movies about war, battles, and military conflicts. These films recreate some of the most significant events in world history from a variety of perspectives and with a variety of purposes and intentions. Some top war films attempt to recreate as realistically as possible the events that they depict, either from an omniscient perspective permitted by historical study or from the point of view of the soldiers and civilians involved in the conflict itself. Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down, for example, was both praised in its time and heavily criticized for bringing a “you are there” sense of realism – and little outside or cultural perspective – to a recreation of the Battle of Mogadishu. The best war movies of all time differ widely in their handling of the subject matter, but they all strike a chord with viewers now and in the time when they came out.

Some of the greatest war films use war as a backdrop to look at larger issues – such as man’s inhumanity to man or the crippling impact of post-traumatic stress – or just as a meditation on war itself. Still other films like Glory and Band of Brothers examine the personal drama of a few individuals, and mine it for larger insights about the meaning of war and the impact that violence has on individual human lives.

Finally, some war films – particularly those made during the classic Hollywood era – are simply adventure films with war providing a compelling setting and situation. The Great Escape, for example, remains a classic not because of its grand ideas about the nature of war, but because it is a ceaselessly entertaining spectacle. No matter what type of film, there’s no denying that these are certainly the best war movies ever.

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 American epic drama war film set during the Invasion of Normandy in World War II. Directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Robert Rodat, the film is notable for its graphic and realistic portrayal of war, and for the intensity of its opening 27 minutes, which depict the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944. It follows United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller and a squad as they search for a paratrooper, Private First Cl…

Full Metal Jacket

Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war film directed and produced by Stanley Kubrick. The screenplay by Kubrick, Michael Herr, and Gustav Hasford was based on Hasford’s novel The Short-Timers. The film stars Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, Kevyn Major Howard, and Ed O’Ross, and its storyline follows a platoon of U.S. Marines through their training and the experiences of two of the platoon’s Marines..

Apocalypse Now

Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American epic adventure war film set during the Vietnam War. Produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, and Robert Duvall. The film follows the central character, U.S. Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard, of MACV-SOG, on a mission to kill the renegade and presumed insane U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel Walter E. Kurtz. The screenplay by John Milius and Coppola..

Platoon

Platoon is a 1986 American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone and starring Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe and Charlie Sheen. It is the first film of a trilogy of Vietnam War films by Stone. Stone wrote the story based upon his experiences as a U.S. infantryman in Vietnam to counter the vision of the war portrayed in John Wayne’s The Green Berets. It was the first Hollywood film to be written and directed by a veteran of the Vietnam War. See the rest of the top 10 war movies of all time list here. What's your favorite?

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Schindlers list is not a war movie.

Where is, “The Great Escape”. It is an easy top 5 war movie, unless it is not considered a war movie.

Am I a bad person because I think “Kelly’s Heroes” is a top 10 war movie?

Also, where is, “The Dirty Dozen” - another easy top 10 war movie.

I think Apocalyse Now is vastly overrated. It belongs on the list, but at 9 or 10.

[gunnyg]

Great!
I like to see the finer things in life preserved!

Dick G @ Planet WTF!
************************

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

To more grea ar movies that you can argue are top 10s are anti war movies - Catch 22 and M*A*S*H. Some veterans say those 2 really capture the stupidity of war better than any other movies.

[dfwgator]

Talvisota - which is a Finnish-production about The Winter War

[Bringbackthedraft]

And guess which actor was in both? (Hint: He’s in almost every movie involving Nazis) .................... Are Helmut Dantine or Martin Kosleck still alive?

[wbill]

Zulu was a decent flick, and moderately accurate for a Hollywood movie.

Zulu Dawn, however, was pretty awful.

[dfwgator]

"FEGELEIN!!!!"

[Big Red Clay]

I watched a movie on Netflix called “The Railway Man” with Colin Firth a few months ago. Not strictly a war movie but deals with the aftermath of war. It was a really moving film. I recommend it.

[DFG]

The CASA 2111E is still at Cavanaugh. Saw it last year. This picture was taken 10/26/2016. The Museum's 2.111E was manufactured as B2-H-155 in 1950, but due to a lack of engines was put into storage. In 1956, it was modified to photographic and map making configuration and fitted with Merlin engines. It was accepted by the Spanish Air Force on December 14, 1956 as B2-I-27, to serve with the Spanish Air Force Cartographic Group. In 1968, it was painted in German colors and used in the film "Battle of Britain". From 1970 to 1972, it was operated by 403 Squadron from Cuatros Vientos, near Madrid, Spain. In November 1972, it was transferred to 406 Squadron at Torrejon, Spain. In January 1974, it was transferred to 46 Group in Ganda, Canary Islands, and active in the Spanish campaign in the Western Sahara. On January 21, 1975, B2-I-27 was returned to the air armaments factory in Seville, officially listed as surplus, and placed into storage. From all available information, it appears that B2-I-27 was the last CASA 2.111 in active service with the Spanish Air Force.

[catman67]

No one has mentioned it yet, so I’ll recommend:
“They Were Expendable” directed by John Fordand based
largely on actual events. Lt. John Bulkeley (John
Brickley in the movie) was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

I will also add on tothe recommendations for “Battleground”.
Although Dean Jagger won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor
in “12 O”Clock High”, I always felt it should have gone to James Whitmore, who took a bit part and made it truely remarkable.

[robroys woman]

Believe it or not, one of my favorites is Battle Los Angeles.

[dfwgator]

“It Happened Here” about the fictional Nazi occupation of England

[STJPII]

Das Boat and Enemy at the Gate are in my top ten.

[HOYA97]

One of my favorite war movies is "Gods and Generals" (2003)

[wbill]

I once watched that atrocious movie "Battle of the Bulge" -you know, the one where the Ardennes Forest looked like the California Desert - with my Grandfather. Grandpa said that he saw the Bulge, "On its original screening, in Technicolor". His words, not mine.

Afterwards, I asked him what he thought. He said that "It was a fine movie" (it wasn't, but it wasn't like grandpa to say anything bad about such things...) BUT, "No one in it looked cold enough".

Made me look at war movies in an entirely different way. Now, I judge them based on how cold (or hot), wet, tired, dirty, muddy, hungry, and generally miserable the characters look.

[MPJackal]

There are so many good ones. So add Midway and Battle of the Bulge.

[dfwgator]

I would have liked Enemy at the Gates more if it wasn’t for that Commie, Ed Harris.

[deweyfrank]

My favorite was Apocalypse Now. Great lines and music. Also Heroes Of Telemark.

[BlueLancer]

"Now, I judge them based on how cold (or hot), wet, tired, dirty, muddy, hungry, and generally miserable the characters look."

Well, "Fury" must have fit that bill pretty well then ...

[Bringbackthedraft]

The 111 I was in was black. That was back in the late 90’s. It was really cramped inside. I paid the few dollars to take my daughter inside. Finally I saw the vertical bomb rack with the bombs standing on their tails.