IMHO, Saving Private Ryan (if seen in a theater) comes closest to showing what war is really like — minus the smell, of course.
So does Band of Brothers.
The best war movie ever made in my opinion is “Saving Private Ryan”. My sweet late uncle Herman, who landed in France shortly after D-Day told me that film was very realistic as far as the fighting scenes. Also it is one of the few films that will always make me misty. The scene at the end in the cemetery reminds of my dad, my uncles, and all the dear family friends who are gone now who served in that great endeavor. The flag with the sun shining through reminds me of how much those guys loved this country and what the did to preserve it. Needless to say, I’m glad they aren’t her to see it now.
Lots of great ones listed in the posts above. “In Harms Way” is my favorite John Wayne film. Will watch it whenever I see it is on.
Would suggest you check out “Midway” that came out in 2019. Great war movie and absolutely no wokeness. Also have not seen anyone mention “Dunkirk” which is a great film as well.
There was a coach at my high school. You’d see him drink a cup of coffee, now and then. A different coach told us that he never are at school, and only enough at home to keep him healthy. The smells from the War in Europe made it so he could not enjoy the smell of cooking meat.
Posted this to the first post, but coming from a man I considered a friend and was my father-in-law’s best friend from his teenage years (scout sniper in Vietnam) that “We Were Soldiers” was as close to the real thing as any movie has ever been.