Top five war movies - Page 4 - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Venkman · 08-30-2006, 05:32 AM

hard to narrow down to five, but here goes:

Saving Private Ryan
Band of Brothers
Full Metal Jacket (R Lee Ermey freakin rocked in that flick)
The Patriot (yeah, kinda sappy at times - but I loved it. we need more Rev War movies)
Tora Tora Tora

other faves:
Sergeant York
Thee Kings
Manchurian Candidate (the original - not sure if that one counts though)
The Green Berets
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
Midway

SeattleUte · 08-30-2006, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Venkman

hard to narrow down to five, but here goes:

Saving Private Ryan
Band of Brothers
Full Metal Jacket (R Lee Ermey freakin rocked in that flick)
The Patriot (yeah, kinda sappy at times - but I loved it. we need more Rev War movies)
Tora Tora Tora

other faves:
Sergeant York
Thee Kings
Manchurian Candidate (the original - not sure if that one counts though)
The Green Berets
We Were Soldiers
Black Hawk Down
Midway

Patriot? Horrible movie. I think in addition to Jews Mel Gibson really has a hatred worked up for the British. He portrayed them as heinous as the Nazis, comitting genoside. The writing was also klunky. I hated that movie.

Three Kings, on the other hand, is a worthy mention. Good movie.

Sleeping in EQ · 08-30-2006, 01:51 PM

1. Dr. Strangelove
2. Apocalypse Now
3. Fail Safe
4. The Great Escape
5. Stalag 17

My favorites shift a bit with my mood, but I always find those five excellent.

UteStar · 08-30-2006, 02:20 PM

The Patriot is another one of those movies that could have been terrific but I hated the storyline. Mel Gibson was not really a patriot in that movie at all, he was fighting to save his son, not his country. If they would have taken that out of the storyline and have Gibson decide to fight because he loved his country, that would have been a much better story.

I totally forgot about Dr. Strangelove which was a genius movie, no question.

SteelBlue · 08-30-2006, 02:33 PM

My favorites (not in order):

WWII
1) Saving Private Ryan. Yeah, it's a fake story, but it had all of the elements of the European theater experience.

2) Band of Brothers. I give this series the highest of grades because among many of the great stories it told, it offers the best representation of the horrors of the Battle of the Bulge. Ten episodes let you really get to know the characters, something difficult to do in a 2-3 hour movie.

3) The Thin Red Line. I've not seen a better movie about the Pacific Theater.

WWI
1) Gallipoli. Excellent depiction of the futility of trench warfare.

Vietnam
1) When we were Soldiers. I was surprised at how much I like this film. I thought it did a good job of portraying the commitment of the North Vietnamese soldiers to their cause. This movie helped me to understand what our Soldiers were up against in Nam more than any other film I've seen.

2) Platoon. Haven't seen it since the 80's. Thought it was excellent then.

3) Apocalypse Now. Loved the cinematography. Had great dialouge. Thought the story was strange.

Ancient Rome

1) Gladiator. Have to agree with SU here. The opening scene is one of my all time movie favorites. I don't know how on earth they managed to film the calvary charging through the forest. Excellent stuff.

MikeWaters · 08-30-2006, 02:44 PM

We are forgetting the greatest, most memorable, most beloved war movie of all time:

The Sound of Music.

OhioBlue · 08-30-2006, 02:48 PM

Every one of my top 5 has been mentioned several times over already in this thread, except #2:

Tae Guk Gi (aka The Brotherhood of War)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386064/

Seriously this Korean film impacted me in a way that only Saving Private Ryan duplicated. (That's my clear #1, whether or not it's a fake story). It's a story of two brothers fighting in the Korean War. Wonderful cinematography, compelling human element, emotionally powerful. If you like war movies, give this one a try--you won't be disappointed.

If you watch it, or have watched it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. I think it's the best war movie that 99% of Americans have never seen.

A couple others that may not meet the definition of a typical 'war movie' but that were great movies about WWII:
Schindler's List
The Pianist

And some others that are good but didn't make my list:
Where Eagles Dare
Guns of Navarone
Force Ten from Navarone (all three by the Tom Clancy of yesteryear, Alistair MacLean. A fantastic author and quick reads)

And the best and original submarine movie--Das Boot.

Also, as for Ran, I'd say that it qualifies as a war movie based solely on the sheer scope of those battle scenes. Incredible, and no CGI there. Good story too, of course Shakespeare had something to do with that and Kurosawa put his stamp on it.

OhioBlue · 08-30-2006, 03:01 PM

More info on TaeGukGi, Amazon reviews

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130

Seriously, do not miss this movie.

Archaea · 08-30-2006, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioBlue

Every one of my top 5 has been mentioned several times over already in this thread, except #2:

Tae Guk Gi (aka The Brotherhood of War)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386064/

Seriously this Korean film impacted me in a way that only Saving Private Ryan duplicated. (That's my clear #1, whether or not it's a fake story). It's a story of two brothers fighting in the Korean War. Wonderful cinematography, compelling human element, emotionally powerful. If you like war movies, give this one a try--you won't be disappointed.

If you watch it, or have watched it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. I think it's the best war movie that 99% of Americans have never seen.

A couple others that may not meet the definition of a typical 'war movie' but that were great movies about WWII:
Schindler's List
The Pianist

And some others that are good but didn't make my list:
Where Eagles Dare
Guns of Navarone
Force Ten from Navarone (all three by the Tom Clancy of yesteryear, Alistair MacLean. A fantastic author and quick reads)

And the best and original submarine movie--Das Boot.

Also, as for Ran, I'd say that it qualifies as a war movie based solely on the sheer scope of those battle scenes. Incredible, and no CGI there. Good story too, of course Shakespeare had something to do with that and Kurosawa put his stamp on it.

You've inspired me to see Tae Guk Gi.

These are all great films.

Guns of Navarone is a great film.

And I watched Das Boot with Haneka de Groot. That made the film even better.

RockyBalboa · 08-30-2006, 03:59 PM

I agree Ohio.

I watched Tae Guk Gi:Brotherhood of War last year and it was an excellent film.

I highly recommend it for everyone.

08-30-2006, 01:51 PM	#33
Sleeping in EQ Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The People's Republic of Monsanto Posts: 3,085	1. Dr. Strangelove 2. Apocalypse Now 3. Fail Safe 4. The Great Escape 5. Stalag 17 My favorites shift a bit with my mood, but I always find those five excellent. __________________ "Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; " 1 Thess. 5:21 (NRSV) We all trust our own unorthodoxies.

08-30-2006, 02:48 PM	#37
OhioBlue Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 469	Every one of my top 5 has been mentioned several times over already in this thread, except #2: Tae Guk Gi (aka The Brotherhood of War) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386064/ Seriously this Korean film impacted me in a way that only Saving Private Ryan duplicated. (That's my clear #1, whether or not it's a fake story). It's a story of two brothers fighting in the Korean War. Wonderful cinematography, compelling human element, emotionally powerful. If you like war movies, give this one a try--you won't be disappointed. If you watch it, or have watched it, I'd be interested to hear your thoughts. I think it's the best war movie that 99% of Americans have never seen. A couple others that may not meet the definition of a typical 'war movie' but that were great movies about WWII: Schindler's List The Pianist And some others that are good but didn't make my list: Where Eagles Dare Guns of Navarone Force Ten from Navarone (all three by the Tom Clancy of yesteryear, Alistair MacLean. A fantastic author and quick reads) And the best and original submarine movie--Das Boot. Also, as for Ran, I'd say that it qualifies as a war movie based solely on the sheer scope of those battle scenes. Incredible, and no CGI there. Good story too, of course Shakespeare had something to do with that and Kurosawa put his stamp on it. __________________ On the other hand, you have different fingers. -- Steven Wright Last edited by OhioBlue; 08-30-2006 at 02:52 PM.

08-30-2006, 03:01 PM	#38
OhioBlue Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ames, IA Posts: 469	More info on TaeGukGi, Amazon reviews http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...v=glance&n=130 Seriously, do not miss this movie. __________________ On the other hand, you have different fingers. -- Steven Wright

08-30-2006, 03:59 PM	#40
RockyBalboa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salt Lake City Posts: 7,297	I agree Ohio. I watched Tae Guk Gi:Brotherhood of War last year and it was an excellent film. I highly recommend it for everyone. __________________ Masquerading as Cougarguards very own genius dumbass since 05'.

08-30-2006, 05:32 AM	#31
Venkman Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: South Jordan, UT Posts: 1,799	hard to narrow down to five, but here goes: Saving Private Ryan Band of Brothers Full Metal Jacket (R Lee Ermey freakin rocked in that flick) The Patriot (yeah, kinda sappy at times - but I loved it. we need more Rev War movies) Tora Tora Tora other faves: Sergeant York Thee Kings Manchurian Candidate (the original - not sure if that one counts though) The Green Berets We Were Soldiers Black Hawk Down Midway

08-30-2006, 02:20 PM	#34
UteStar Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,817	The Patriot is another one of those movies that could have been terrific but I hated the storyline. Mel Gibson was not really a patriot in that movie at all, he was fighting to save his son, not his country. If they would have taken that out of the storyline and have Gibson decide to fight because he loved his country, that would have been a much better story. I totally forgot about Dr. Strangelove which was a genius movie, no question.

08-30-2006, 02:33 PM	#35
SteelBlue Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Norcal Posts: 5,821	My favorites (not in order): WWII 1) Saving Private Ryan. Yeah, it's a fake story, but it had all of the elements of the European theater experience. 2) Band of Brothers. I give this series the highest of grades because among many of the great stories it told, it offers the best representation of the horrors of the Battle of the Bulge. Ten episodes let you really get to know the characters, something difficult to do in a 2-3 hour movie. 3) The Thin Red Line. I've not seen a better movie about the Pacific Theater. WWI 1) Gallipoli. Excellent depiction of the futility of trench warfare. Vietnam 1) When we were Soldiers. I was surprised at how much I like this film. I thought it did a good job of portraying the commitment of the North Vietnamese soldiers to their cause. This movie helped me to understand what our Soldiers were up against in Nam more than any other film I've seen. 2) Platoon. Haven't seen it since the 80's. Thought it was excellent then. 3) Apocalypse Now. Loved the cinematography. Had great dialouge. Thought the story was strange. Ancient Rome 1) Gladiator. Have to agree with SU here. The opening scene is one of my all time movie favorites. I don't know how on earth they managed to film the calvary charging through the forest. Excellent stuff.

08-30-2006, 02:44 PM	#36
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	We are forgetting the greatest, most memorable, most beloved war movie of all time: The Sound of Music.