The Greatest War Movies

Hollywood has created a wealth of rich, entertaining, thought-provoking, and wonderful war movies over the years. Military, or war, movies are their own genre. America has been so heavily shaped by war that writers, directors, actors, and everyone else in the movie making world has been inspired to show reflections of American heroism on the big screen.

I'll admit, military and war movies are not my forte. However, I've seen plenty, and many of them
have made a heavy impression on me. Here's my favorite ones:

Modern:
American Sniper (2014)
Don't ignore this one just because it's the most recent movie on the list. American Sniper sets itself apart from other war movies about Iraq and our most recent wars in the middle east by focusing on the real-life story of Chris Kyle. Absolutely gripping from the first scene, American Sniper is heroic, modern, tragic, and violent.

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Directed by Katheryn Bigelow, who also directed modern war movie The Hurt Locker, is the powerful story of how the search for Osama Bin Laden was rife with political hurdles, logistical setbacks, and incredible danger. Jessica Chastain steals the show as Maya, a character who leads the search to find Bin Laden. Her character is based on a real person who is currently still hidden and secret. The film builds incredibly to the exciting death-defying mission to capture the number one target: Osama Bin Laden. Shot in real-time to the real event, you'll be on the edge of your seat with sweaty palms. And, you'll hopefully be thankful to be an American.

Vietnam:
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Known for it's odd, prolonged shots and over-the-top melodrama, the Deer Hunter hits hard and doesn't hold back. It's hard to watch at times, but it deals directly with the pains of the Vietnam war.

World War II:
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Visceral, brutal, and deeply emotional. Legendary director Stephen Spielberg tackled this epic fictional story of a group of WWII soldiers attempting to save a Private Ryan. The Ohama Beach fight at the beginning is a Hollywood scene for the ages, and has helped cement Saving Private Ryan as a classic.

Patton (1970)
A sprawling 3 hour drama about the career of General George Patton. Ambitious and based on real events, Patton was nominated for several Oscars, and won 7! I think George C Scott's performance as Patton is one of the best.

The Pianist (2002)
Don't be fooled by the title. Even though the focus of this story is on the autobiography of a pianist named Wladyslaw Szpilman, it is filled with the ramifications and battles of WWII.

The Thin Red Line (1998)
Director Terrence Malick directed this masterpiece. He is known for approaching movies as a philosopher and creating visually beautiful and rather strange movies. The Thin Red Line deals with WWII philosophically, with the actual battles and fighting being shown as a consequence or afterthought of man's struggle against nature. Many consider The Thing Red Line to be more of a poem about war than a literal telling of war stories. I love this movie not only for its nontraditional approach to war storytelling, but the way it gently and reflectively deals with the atrocity of war.


The Civil War:
Lincoln (2012)
Stephen Spielberg directs another soon-to-be legendary war movie. This time it's about the Civil War. Even though the title and promotion for this movie leads you to think it's just about President Lincoln, it is set against a wide backdrop of the Civil War. Lincoln follows Lincoln's political battle to pass the 13th amendment. Along the way, the Civil War rages in the background, creating a fire of controversy, grief, and fueling political intentions about the future of America.

Glory (1989)
This movie is about courage. It deals with racism during the Civil War, and performances by Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington elevate it to an incredible level.

I know there may be many more war movies out there that are deserving of accolade. What are some of your favorites?