For starters, for the most part I do not like war movies. There are too many John Wayne's, Churck Norris's and Swartzenegger's involved which key in on sensationalism rather than what really happens when opposing combatants meet. All sense of real history and reality get lost in the mix and they end up being entertainment for those who could simply like the blood and gore that any modern day horror movie could provide. Recently, although the movie has been out for some time, I watched the entire mini-series of "the Band of Brothers". When I read the synopsis and following critiques I found that the movie was actually based on fact and it was touted as being as truthful as the movie industry could make it. I was with the 82nd Airborne so naturally I like anything associated with Army Airborne and the movie was about the 101st from D Day until the capture of Hitler's Eagles Nest. More than the actual movie, I enjoyed the small blurbs from actual WWII vets before each segment. They gave a short narration of coming events during the movie and come to find out later, each of the vets were the guys who were actually portrayed in the filming. (The ones living of course) There is some language and of course some very graphic scenes but that's what happens when even a modicum of truth concerning war is portrayed. Even though I am extremely critical of Hollywood war movie events, I do give the movie 5 stars! Anybody else see it and what did you think?
I loved it. That was very much in the top echelon of war movies. I think that a lot of people our age have decided they don't like war movies, or that they don't like westerns, because both of these genres were so overdone, and the vast majority of them were awful.
As I was reading your post, another war movie comes to mind that was on par with Band of Brothers. It also concerned the 101st Airborne in "Finding private Ryan".
Wasn't Private Ryan 'saved' @Bobby Cole and wasn't it Nemo that was 'found' ............................ (I'm being me cheeky self again)
A couple of other westerns that I liked were The Ox-Bow Incident and Stagecoach. More on topic though, apart from the ones mentioned here, which I agree with, other good war movies were Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now, although that last one kind of creeped me out too. There was another, although I can't think of the name, where American and German soldiers call a truce, of sorts, and celebrate Christmas together in a farmhouse.
Saving private Ryan. the first 25 mins of that was hard to take when they landed. I have Band of Brothers. they also made one called the Pacific. I didn't care to much for that one. Spielberg Hanks are working on one called the mighty eighth which reminds me of Memphis belle. i do want to see this one
Precisely correct my deat Patsy! I stand corrected and for that, you can be as cheeky as you wish to be and no one, especially myself will find any fault. I have always liked that word....cheeky. Probably my favorite use of it was in The Patriot with Mel Gibson.
I made it through about an hour of Apocalyse now before I turned it off. I got tired of myself criticizing it because it was pretty much just a new type of entertainment and a place I (mentally) really did not wish to go. On the other hand, there actually was a Christmas during WWI when the Germans and opposing forces in the trenches did have an unofficial truce in which they spent together singing caroles and each other's company. After all was said and done, they went back to killing each other the next morning.
@Bobby Cole - thank you kind Sir Have you seen Silent Night Bobby, it is so good I am sure Yvonne would also like very much