Throughout many years, the movie industry has produced countless numbers of war movies/mini-series, and these films generally chracterize what the greatest production of mankind, war, is like to those not in it. Dating all the way to when All Quiet on the Western Front won the Best Picture in 1930 to movies of our time such as Saving Private Ryan and We Were Soliders, what war film is to you the best???
For me, a World War II geek, it's hands down Saving Private Ryan. I'll admit 2 things as a man: First, I can't watch the first 20 minutes of that movie without at least changing the channel 2 or 3 times. It's not that there's a single scene or two is too gory, but watching 20 minutes of that in succession is just so vivid. I mean, it's just so real, it captures what war is really like. In too many movies, it's just bang and the person is dead. When in reality, which this movie, especially those 20 minutes, the body naturally does whatever needs to be done to stay alive, no matter what the pain. The second is I've shed a tear or two at the end when the the old fellow wakes up from the story and is at the grave and gives the monologue about the choice he made with his life. I think only one other movie,My Dog Skip when I was like 7, has made me cry, but that monologue was just so powerful, and if Spilberg and company hadn't captured the real image of war, that monologue wouldn't have been so powerful.
But fellas, please offer your opinions, I'm interested in them.

I have to agree with you Chad4. Saving Private Ryan is a very compelling and often graphic movie and is one of my personal faves. There are a couple of classics missing from your list however that you may want to check out if you if you haven't already. "A bridge too far" and "The battle of Britain". And who can forget "Kelly's Heroes". Ah man I'm gonna go watch it right now!

A Bridge too far I believe I've seen (with Robert Rodford and the failure of Operation Market Garden) and I've seen Battle of Britain, but not Kelly's Heroes. But the first 2 were good movies, it's just it doesn't show how graphic war is; but of course there was a huge technological dissadvantage with no computers and stuff; which is why it's so hard to fully appreciate the war movies of old, even though they have great story lines (loved Great Escape, The Dirty Dozen, To Hell and Back, and A Bridge Too Far as you mentioned from the old days).

its a toss up for me on Jarhead and Black Hawk Down. i havent seen many war movies but those are my two favorites.

jarhead are you kidding me?

saving private ryan and we were soldiers for me.

Thought not technically a movie - Band Of Brothers for me.

I watched it all over a week whilst I was deployed last year ....a work of genius.

Saving Private Ryan but I'm with CR87 too on Jarhead, great film about modern warfare and the psychological impact it has.

What about Gallipoli? Great movie. All, or most of the ones stated above are great, so this is like arguing whose the best NFLer of all time?

The Pianist... then I'd say Saving Ryan's Privates. Blackhawk Down was great too. The Great Gatsby is pretty sweet too but not necessarily about war. The modernized movie was really good. Obviously the book was better but the movie did a great justice.

Robbie Redford is a freak of nature

My favorite one is "Glory" but IMO the greatest war movie of all-time is "Apocalypse Now."

Apocalypse Now

Being that I am a combat veteran myself I am torn with which movie is the best. I will explain:

Black Hawk Down: Movie shows the 'Fog of War' and politics of working with other nations (NATO). I loved that it showed the courage of the Rangers and especially the selfless service of Shugart and Gordon, MOH Recipients.

We were Soldiers: Movie depicts the mentality of the Army and the thinking proccess of leaders in that era. Depicted the LTC and CSM of old. Great leadership with the troops. Loved the humor from the CSM. 'Great day SGM......What are you, a f***ing weatherman?


'

No Star Wars

kidding. Easily Saving Private Ryan

I love the smell of napalm in the morning!

saving private ryan

We Were Soldiers followed by Band of Brothers..

boys in da hood

Give me the gun Trey.

My all time fav was not listed Das Boot

Pearl Harbor





















just kidding.
I know in classical terms of what makes a film great that Black Hawk Down doesn't qualify, but dammit.. I sure do love watching that movie.

WOW!!! what a good question... Man I don't know, I'm at odds here.

Saving Private Ryan by far

love the sig bro

Thanks

LOL to that ^^^

anyway as a acitve service member my opinion is no better than any1 elses...however personally ive always had a thing for black hawk down as it depicts true life events that the younger generation can relate to being that the events occured in the early 90's..plus it had a good hollywood feel but not too much..
But for me Full Metal jacket can not be beat even though it is a fictional picture i dont think theres one day that goes by i dont hear a line from that movie..despite the comedy associated with it, it is a legendary film

The all time classic HEARTBREAK RIDGE.
"when gunny meets the swede.................................................."
ooooo-rahhhh

No one said "Apocalypse Now" Good movie!
Another was "Kelley's Heros " with Clint Eastwood!

This isnt a war movie but its a movie about avoiding war. Check out Thirteen Days, great movie about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Great Escape - They should do a remake with Matt Damon in the Steve McQueen role - only this time he jumps that second barb wire fence & flips the Gerrys the bird.

I actually preferred Shaving Ryan's Privates!!

Hamberger Hill and We Were Soldiers....

the patriot or the band of brother series

Band of Brothers is truly an amazing piece of work. I just finished watching Bastogne for like the 10th time this morning, but they cover what most movies can't, and thats each aspect of war. I loved saving private ryan, but it didnt talk much about what life was like for the Medics or what training was like with an unfit leader. All those topics and more were covered in Band of Brothers and added to the fact that each character and each story line told was absolutly true just adds to its irrimarkability. Just recomending to watch Band of Brothers wouldnt be enough, I mean, I've watched at least 2 episodes off it a week since it come out on DVD years ago, thats how much I love it. And not only that, but it got me to search through my grandmothers house for pictures and different relics of my grandfathers who was a Bronze Star recipient during WWII and died 13 years before I was born, and it was a really special moment for me to see all his pictures and now I have 2 pictures of him and a poster(I restored) of his regement from 1947 hanging in my dorm room.

For me it is platoon .