[Film] Best War Film?

[West Upper Seagull]

Great thread - I love a good war film. So many of my favourites already mentioned but I would also add Escape to Victory and War Horse !

My favourites that have already been mentioned are:
Great Escape
Battle of Britain
Schindler's List
Saving Private Ryan
Hacksaw Ridge
Platoon
Fury
1917

 

[Hamilton]

A Bridge too Far.

The Gerrrr-mans!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

It was all a bit pantomime - but "The Eagle has Landed" was a great film

 

[Triggaaar]

Can we turn this into a knock out contest?

Sounds good. Some polling before groups are made or something.

 

[Hugo Rune]

 

[Spiros]

Another vote for Das Boot - obviously the version in German with subtitles, not the dubbed one
Bridge Too Far
Lawrence of Arabia
Battle of Britain

All cracking films and all draw an audible sigh from Mrs S if she sees them on the box as she knows that's the TV locked in for a few hours

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Does this count?

Always loved George Formby movies since I was a kid, and this is technically a war movie set in 1940 Norway...
Surprised the movie name wasn't kept the same on both sides of the Atlantic though - I would've thought most people in the UK at that time would've approved of "To Hell with Hitler" as a title....but "Let George Do It" hit the screens here.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

633 Squadron

Is there finer film music?

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

The Deer Hunter, aside from one scene, is an absolute BOREFEST. That cuffing wedding at the start feels like it goes on for about 3 days. Utterly overrated tosh.

There. I said it.

You're not alone, many have said the same. Close to 3 hours riding the coattails/basking in the glow of a 15 minute Russian Roulette segment.

 

[jakarta]

I agree there needs to be a POLE, sadly I don't have the skills to set one up...

 

[Happy Exile]

Come and See is a tough watch but worth it.

Thin Red Line is the best for me though. Came out the same time as Saving Private Ryan and IMHO is a million times (approx) better. Pretty true to the book written by a veteran about his experiences, no Hollywood-ising, and a film to immerse yourself in.

 

[sydney]

platoon
deerhunter
1917

 

[BrightonCottager]

My dad took me and my younger brother to Leicester Square to see Battle of Britain when it came out. As the children of Polish immigrants we were blown away by the bit when the Polish flyers ignored orders and took on the German Luftwaffe planes. "Repeat please...repeat please"

You need to get yourself to the Battle of Britain bunker museum at RAF Uxbridge, with a visit to the Polish War memorial on the A40 then.

 

[thejackal]

So many great war films listed here, you couldn't possibly make a POLE that long. The Deer Hunter, Shaving Ryan's Privates etc but if you want a real war fillum with oscar nominations then you have to give Restrepo a go. Ok I'll shut up about it now.

Restrepo (2010) - IMDb

Restrepo: Directed by Tim Hetherington, Sebastian Junger. With The Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Juan 'Doc Restrepo, Dan Kearney, LaMonta Caldwell. A year with one platoon in the deadliest valley in Afghanistan.

m.imdb.com

 

[herecomesaregular]

Many good films mentioned. Probably due to my youth (and my Action Man uniforms) I tend to think "war film" = "WW2 film".

I've rewatched these several times and still enjoyed them. Not a fan of American war films, prefer the European versions:

In Darkness (2011)

Days of Glory (2006)

Although poorly reviewed I thought Spike Lee made a decent effort too, with Miracle At St Anna (2008)

 

[Ike and Tina Burner]

I'm not sure if they've already been mentioned but two more obscure foreign language films that I like a lot are land of mine and The Captain.

Land of mine is about a group of German prisoners forced to clear mines from a Norwegian beach after the end of the second world war. It's based on a true story and is a great mix of bleakness and hope.

Land of Mine (2015) ⭐ 7.8 | Drama, History, War

1h 40m | 15

m.imdb.com

The Captain is quite weird but again it's a true story. Without spoiling it too much a German deserter at the end of the war impersonates an officer and gets up to some heinous stuff. It's quite dark and will stay with you afterwards.

The Captain (2017) ⭐ 7.3 | Drama, History, Thriller

1h 58m | 15

m.imdb.com

 

[keaton]

I'm not sure if they've already been mentioned but two more obscure foreign language films that I like a lot are land of mine and The Captain.

Land of mine is about a group of German prisoners forced to clear mines from a Norwegian beach after the end of the second world war. It's based on a true story and is a great mix of bleakness and hope.

Land of Mine (2015) ⭐ 7.8 | Drama, History, War

1h 40m | 15

m.imdb.com

The Captain is quite weird but again it's a true story. Without spoiling it too much a German deserter at the end of the war impersonates an officer and gets up to some heinous stuff. It's quite dark and will stay with you afterwards.

The Captain (2017) ⭐ 7.3 | Drama, History, Thriller

1h 58m | 15

m.imdb.com

I liked the Captain. Very good

 

[RandyWanger]

Not really into war films but Sisu looks awesome

 

[Lindfield by the Pond]

You need to get yourself to the Battle of Britain bunker museum at RAF Uxbridge, with a visit to the Polish War memorial on the A40 then.

Went there a few months ago. Fantastic museum and historical site. Frozen on 15 Sep Battle of Britain day on the charts.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

The cruel sea!