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Best War Movies Per Conflict

flaiawis

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Feb 3, 2012
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Revolutionary War
Not a large sample size but "1776" comes in at #1 for me. "The Patriot" wins the popularity contest. "The Last Of The Mohicans" is there as well

War of 1812
"The Buccaneer" wins by default.

Civil War
"Glory" and it isn't even close.

WWI
"All Quite On The Western Front"

WWII
Competition galore. For me, "Saving Private Ryan" is #1. "Schindler's List" & "The Thin Red Line" are excellent as well.

Korean War
Not a huge treasure trove but "The Manchurian Candidate" seems a winner by default. "MASH" as well.

Vietnam War
Plenty to choose from here. "The Deer Hunter" is my first choice. Tons of honerable mentions here. "Apocalypse Now", "Platoon" & "We Were Soldiers" in there.

Iraq War
"Hurt Locker", "American Sniper" & "Restrepo" are 1a/1b/1c in any order.

Love to hear everyone's opinion on this.
 
Pretty good list.

I actually might like Dunkirk the best of WWII movies. I’d also add Das Boot, Downfall and Letters from Iwo Jima. (Flags of our Fathers sucked)

Vietnam movies are really underwhelming to me, as are the Iraq/Afghanistan movies. Platoon and We Were Soldiers just don’t hold up, IMO.

Edit- Three Kings is the a great one from the Iraq War.
 
Gettysburg
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Dances with Wolves
The Revenant

The Sand Pebbles

Fury
Das Boot
Enemies at the Gate
Where Eagles Dare
A Bridge too Far
The Great Escape

Good Morning Vietnam
Bat 21

Heartbreak Ridge
Black Hawk Down

No recent war movies cut it for me. But I’m biased as I was in Iraq x1 and Afghanistan x3 and the Philippines x1. So I’m a little picky and just don’t watch them.
 
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Not a movie, but The Red Badge of Courage should not be forgotten.

For me personally, For Whom the Bell Tolls, particularly El Sordos last stand, is some of the best things I have read period. It's set in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's.

Metallica wrote that song about this chapter.
 
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Not a movie, but The Red Badge of Courage should not be forgotten.
images
 
Not a movie, but The Red Badge of Courage should not be forgotten.

For me personally, For Whom the Bell Tolls, particularly El Sordos last stand, is some of the best things I have read period. It's set in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's.

Metallica wrote that song about this chapter.
Read is a whole new topic. Hollywood has a history of f-ing up a good novel.
"The Shawshank Redemption" is a good movie. "Rita Haworth And The Shawshank Redemption" is superior in every way.
 
Cold war movies also deserve some love but i do understand if op wants to stay with hot wars.
But if cold war also gets added, The Man from UNCLE deserves some consideration.
 
Restrepo was a documentary and a real life war movie. It doesn’t fit with the other movies. It stands alone.
 
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Revolutionary War
Not a large sample size but "1776" comes in at #1 for me. "The Patriot" wins the popularity contest. "The Last Of The Mohicans" is there as well

War of 1812
"The Buccaneer" wins by default.

Civil War
"Glory" and it isn't even close.

WWI
"All Quite On The Western Front"

WWII
Competition galore. For me, "Saving Private Ryan" is #1. "Schindler's List" & "The Thin Red Line" are excellent as well.

Korean War
Not a huge treasure trove but "The Manchurian Candidate" seems a winner by default. "MASH" as well.

Vietnam War
Plenty to choose from here. "The Deer Hunter" is my first choice. Tons of honerable mentions here. "Apocalypse Now", "Platoon" & "We Were Soldiers" in there.

Iraq War
"Hurt Locker", "American Sniper" & "Restrepo" are 1a/1b/1c in any order.

Love to hear everyone's opinion on this.


WW2:
Longest Day
Midway
 
A few add-ins


Civil War
The Civil War by Ken Burns, is one of the best documentaries ever made
The Outlaw Josey Wales is sure as hell going on the list
Gone With the Wind has to be mentioned for our older crowd

WWI
Both versions of All Quiet on the Western Front , wasn't sure what OP went with
They Shall Not Grow Old ( documentary) Fantastic
War Horse

WWII
Packed category but Bridge on the River Kwai has to be on any "best" list
Letters From Iwo Jima
edit to add
Enemy at the Gates


Vietnam
Good Morning Vietnam
Hamburger Hill

The Gulf War and the Iraq War seem to be intermingled in a few posts


Gulf War
Rules of Engagement
Courage Under Fire

Iraq and Afghan War
Zero Dark Thirty
Lone Survivor
 
A few add-ins


Civil War
The Civil War by Ken Burns, is one of the best documentaries ever made
The Outlaw Josey Wales is sure as hell going on the list
Gone With the Wind has to be mentioned for our older crowd

WWI
Both versions of All Quiet on the Western Front , wasn't sure what OP went with
They Shall Not Grow Old ( documentary) Fantastic
War Horse

WWII
Packed category but Bridge on the River Kwai has to be on any "best" list
Letters From Iwo Jima
edit to add
Enemy at the Gates


Vietnam
Good Morning Vietnam
Hamburger Hill

The Gulf War and the Iraq War seem to be intermingled in a few posts


Gulf War
Rules of Engagement
Courage Under Fire

Iraq and Afghan War
Zero Dark Thirty
Lone Survivor


Nice add ins, but

Saving Private Ryan

Jarhead
 
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Nice add ins, but

Saving Private Ryan

Jarhead

Ryan had already been mentioned, and I didn't love Jarhead, so I didn't add them.
SPR is fantastic, Tom is as good as he has ever been along with a tremendous cast with a great story
Jarhead was a decent movie, but there was something about how Jake played the role, I just couldn't label it as great
 
Pretty good list.

I actually might like Dunkirk the best of WWII movies. I’d also add Das Boot, Downfall and Letters from Iwo Jima. (Flags of our Fathers sucked)

Vietnam movies are really underwhelming to me, as are the Iraq/Afghanistan movies. Platoon and We Were Soldiers just don’t hold up, IMO.

Edit- Three Kings is the a great one from the Iraq War.
I liked Go Tell The Spartans for a Vietnam movie
 
Ryan had already been mentioned, and I didn't love Jarhead, so I didn't add them.
SPR is fantastic, Tom is as good as he has ever been along with a tremendous cast with a great story
Jarhead was a decent movie, but there was something about how Jake played the role, I just couldn't label it as great


Jarhead. He / they captured so many aspects of the hurry up and wait for the military. And how easy it is to just feel like a wasted resource.

Full metal Jacket gets the Vietnam vote from me

Yep. 100%.
 
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