Top Ten War Movies of All Time

10.)DAS BOOT

If you haven’t seen this absolute gem of a film. Stop reading and go watch it. For a film that tells the story of a submarine full of Nazis, it is amazing how much you’ll feel for these characters. When you’re faced with the reality that they were just boys, the madness of war hits you in the gut.

9.)The Wind that Shakes the Barley

Murder, execution, and cruelty done by bad people is easy to swallow. They’re just evil men after all. When these things are done by seemingly good people. You can’t help but feel the human race is being disgraced.

8.) Schindlers List

Not much to say about it really. Schindler was a good man, in a bad time. I’ve heard that Polanski refused to make the film. Was it because he didn’t want to misrepresent the Holocaust? I think so. I love this movie, but it might be an evil misrepresentation of the Holocaust. I’m not sure.

7.) Grave of the Fire Flies

This one I saw in college. It was my first choice for best war film ever made. But I just don’t enjoy watching it. It is a bit too depressing. The film follows two innocent children as Americans fire bomb their Japanese town in WW2. If you’ve never felt for the Japanese in that war, you’ll feel it with this one.

6.) The Hurt Locker

I reviewed this film. Read the whole review under Written Reviews.

5.) The Thin Red Line

This isn’t Terrence Malick’s greatest film. Badlands probably is. But regardless, this is a poetic, spiritual consideration of war and death.

4.) Paths of Glory

I watched this out of the corner of my eye when writing. Even then I knew I was watching a great film. After watching it properly a few times I knew this was one of Kubrick’s best.
3.) Platoon

Great film about a shitty war and a shitty time. Seeing the current political climate, as well as Oliver Stone’s Oscar acceptance speech for the film, I can’t imagine how Stone hasn’t killed himself yet. Probably because he’s too high on smack and booms. Who knows?

2.) Apocalypse Now

This is an audacious film. Francis Ford Coppola considered suicide during the shooting of this movie. Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack. Filming went on for over a year. This madness shows. Great movie.

1.) Letters From Iwo Jima/Flags of our Fathers

I know it is supposed to be only ten films, but these two films are to be watched together. Clint Eastwood’s two looks at the battle of Iwo Jima are the best war films ever made. No films have affected me so. Flags is an exploration of heroism, war, death, and brotherhood. Letters is an exploration of tribalism, madness, and self-sacrifice. At no point does the violence entertain us. I watch these films often and am always left with one question. I’m not going to say what it is, but I imagine it is shared by most who view this film.