Best War Films?

[Acier]

No one has said Grave of the Fireflies yet?

That film is amazingly touching and sad, and like all Ghibli films, visually stunning.

It doesn't help that it's based on an almost autobiographical book by a WWII survivor.

Spoiler: Even the poster is bleak

 

[octafish]

Well I'll mention a bunch that have been mentioned.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Laurence of Arabia (Vast, vast spaces and long, long camera takes. They don't make films like this anymore. More is the pity.)

The Big Red One (Lee Marvin and Luke Skywalker. Lee Marvin should be enough to make you watch this masterpiece)

Das Boat (Just brilliant this one)

Hell in the Pacific (Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune in a tight two hander)

The Thin Red Line

M.A.S.H. (You really should see all of Altmans films anyway)

Apocalypse Now (Don't see the Redux version first)

Platoon (Must see, I'd say)

The Odd Angry Shot (An Australian view of Vietnam, if you can find it see it.)

and a couple about wartime not exactly the wars

The Good The Bad and The Ugly (American Civil War)

and

Casablanca (WW2)

 

[TheRundownRabbit]

Black Hawk Down and The Hurt Locker

 

[cynikles]

Band of Brothers is the best war film-like thing I've seen.

Proper movies wise;

World War I: "Gallipoli"
World War 2: "The Great Escape"
Modern: "Body of Lies"

Not sure why I like "Body of Lies" so much, but I was greatly impressed the first time I saw it. Haven't really sat down and watched it for a while though.

There's plenty of other great World War 2 films I've seen and liked, "The Guns of Navarone" is one that rings a clear bell, and I've seen a fair few others I can't for the life of me remember right now.

 

[Rattler5150]

300
Run silent run deep
Sands of Iwo Jima
Platoon
Full Metal Jacket
Stalag 17

If cold war counts:
Dr Strangelove
Ice station zebra

 

[linwolf]

Full Metal Jacket
Grave of the Fireflies
Rambo: first blood
These are the ones I like the most.

 

[octafish]

Bugger. I forgot 84C MoPic. A great little film about the Vietnam conflict.

 

[Pandalisk]

Patton. "You magnificent bastard, I read your book!"

Could you explain what that means? "I read your book"? I've never learnt the saying, does he mean like he's read the man like a book and knows his every move?

 

[HK_01]

Here's one I just remembered: All Quiet on the Western Front. Absolutely brilliant.

 

[madcap2112]

Patton. "You magnificent bastard, I read your book!"

Could you explain what that means? "I read your book"? I've never learnt the saying, does he mean like he's read the man like a book and knows his every move?

The guy Patton was yelling at was Erwin Rommel; he wrote a book called "Infantry Attacks," it was about his experience in World War I and details military tactics.

 

[Toaster Hunter]

Depends on the war being portrayed.

WWII- Saving Private Ryan, easily, though Das Boot wasn't bad either

Vietnam- Tossup between Platoon and Apocalypse Now

Modern day (1980 onward)- Blackhawk Down


Also the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Generation: Kill are some of the best dramas on warfare and conflict.

 

[Varun Garuda Maharaj]

i believe this answers your question

 

[Asehujiko]

Enemy at the Gates was pretty good. Sure, it felt like one guy was making all the difference, but really, you don't get 500 kills and not make a dent in the enemy.

Unless the enemy makes 700 kills back, shrugs off an artillery barrage before being brought down by a HE 14.5mm bullet/shell to the face. For a week [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_Hayha].

Back on topic, The Longest Day, excluding a few goofs like a group of soldiers taking cover during the battle of Pointe Du Hoc behind the Pointe Du Hoc Memorial.

 

[superbatranger]

I'd have to go with Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and Full Metal Jacket. It's been a while since I've seen a good war movie. I might check out some of the other movies I've seen mentioned here.

 

[hermes]

No one has said Grave of the Fireflies yet?
That film is amazingly touching and sad, and like all Ghibli films, visually stunning.
It doesn't help that it's based on an almost autobiographical book by a WWII survivor.

Spoiler: Even the poster is bleak

I was going to menction that movie too... Truly amazing.
Also, it is a good way to prove wrong to anyone that says animation is just for kids.

 

[Counter_Southpaw]

I liked "The Hurt Locker" a lot.

Pretty scary movie actually. Made me respect what those guys do.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I liked "A Bridge Too Far" a lot.

 

[Smagmuck_]

Full Metal Jacket.
Boot Camp? Absolutly hilarious.
'Nam? Action packed.
And it gives me endless lines to qoute. :3

 

[Cody211282]

A Bridge To Far, Tora Troa Tora, We Were Soldiers, Black hawk Down, The Great Escape, and The Longest Day are the first to come to mind.

 

[Sargey]

Saving Private Ryan is my favourite war film, but I also like The Longest Day, Schindlers List and The Thin Red Line.

Not a film, but the Band Of Brothers series (not the Pacific series though) is incredibly good.