Time to list out my top 5 war movies made in 1980 - current. This is a real tough list. I must lay down some guidelines. Many movies take place during wartime, but it is hard to consider it a war movie. Example:
Schindler's List. This movie is not on the list because it does not fit the criteria that the main characters are in the military.
Schindler would be my number one, but it is about the Holocaust. Some movies take place in wars that never have actually happened.
Red Dawn, Star Wars, and
The Matrix have war in them.
Red Dawn would meet my criteria because it is a war that could of actually happened. The cause of the war came from actual circumstances. Fictional stories that happen in a historical war are included (Ex.
Saving Private Ryan). Mini-Series do count. They are a mini-series because of length. They are not typically watched in one sitting (even though I have watched all ten hours of
Band of Brothers in one sitting before). Movies that have military characters, but no war situation do not count (Ex.
Top Gun). War movies have grown in complexity. Before 1980, it was simple. Since then filmmakers have searched for the depth and complexity of characters in wartime.
I will first list all of my nominations. These are the movies that I considered to put on the list.
Band of Brothers, Red Dawn, Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, We Were Soldiers, Enemy at the Gates, U-571, The Last of the Mohicans, The Patriot, Gettysburg, Glory, Black Hawk Down, Three Kings, and
Braveheart.I put the nomination list out there so you all do not think I forgot your favorite war movie.
At last. My Top 5:
5. Glor.......
Black Hawk Down4.
We Were Soldiers3.
Braveheart2
. Saving Private Ryan1.
Band of Brothers
Let me know what you think.