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12 Modern Classic War Movies

In Honor of Memorial Day – Smirkingloon's Top War Films

12. Letters from Iwo Jima

This is Clint Eastwood's magnificent companion film to "Flags of Our Fathers" about the Battle of Iwo Jima, told from the perspective of Japanese soldiers.

It stars Ken Watanabe who is a favorite of mine and it is a truly fascinating film, destined to be a true classic.

11. Flags of Our Fathers

One of the most famous photographs in history was taken by Joe Rosenthal at the Battle of Iwo Jima, during the Second World War. The image of five Marines and one sailor raising Old Glory on Mount Suribachi has been reprinted countless times, and has become an enduring symbol of American heroism. But while almost everyone has seen the photo, few Americans really understood what it represented, and fewer still knew who the men in the photo were.

This film documents the Battle of Iwo Jima and the story behind the photograph.

10. Schindler's List

I really can't say enough about this movie.

An Oscar winning film relating the tale of Oskar Schindler, a Sudeten-German Catholic businessman who was instrumental in saving the lives of over one thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust. The title refers to a list of the names of 1,100 Jews whom Schindler hired to work in his factory and kept from being sent to the Nazi concentration camp.

It is currently ranked as 9th best domestic film by the American Film Institute.

This film clip is entitled "Schindler's Jews – Today" and I found it so poignant I wanted to include it here.

9. Braveheart

Ok, I know this isn't about any modern war, but it's war nontheless and brutal, honest, gut-fighting war at that. Namely, the Scots First Battle for Independence. It's also on my list because I love Sophie Marceau and the legend of William Wallace is one of the reasons I fell in love with History. This is one of my all-time favorite films, of any genre.

8. The Thin Red Line

I love anything about the Battle of Guadalcanal and this movie is a real "think piece". Highly enjoyable, there are some great battle scenes and even though it differs quite a bit from the novel, it's still a bit of a masterpiece.

7. Heaven and Earth

A film by Oliver Stone, actually one of a trilogy of films he did regarding the Vietnam Conflict.

But, this movie was beautiful.

It's told from the point of view of a young Vietnamese woman who lives a simple and balanced life in her village, with her mother, father, brothers and sisters, until… the Vietcong begin to come into the village at night to indoctrinate the villagers with their ideals and then, during the day, the South Vietnamese come to round up the VC.

It's an impossible situation for everyone. She is raped by VC and sent away to Saigon where, after many adventures and misadventures, she meets, falls in love with and marries and American soldier.

She moves back to California with him and the film explores her culture shock and his exceeding descent into the madness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It is exquisite in it's rendering of her life coming full circle when she travels back to her village, taking her sons with her.

6. The Deer Hunter

Words escape me right now. I can't find in my limited vocabulary the necessary things to say to express the beauty, poignancy, brilliance and magnitude of this film.

This is just as much or maybe more, a story of friendship, love and loyalty, as it is a war film, simply a must see.

Three friends are sent to Vietnam and taken as POWs and are then forced to play Russian Roulette by their captors.

The protagonist Michael devises a plan and they manage to escape. Once away one friend (Nicky) is picked up by US helicopters and taken to hospital. The others are unable to make it into the ‘copter and fall back into the river, one breaking both legs severely.

Michael carries his friend until they find a band of refugees and he leaves his wounded friend with South Vietnamese soldiers. Michael continues his tour of duty and upon returning home finds his friend with the wounded legs in a Veteran's Hospital, a double amputee.

Michael finds out that his friend has been receiving large amounts of money from an unknown source, coming out of Vietnam, they both know it's Nicky. Michael goes back in to find his friend, and if you haven't seen it, I won't offer any more spoilers than I already have.

"One shot"

5. Black Hawk Down

A film worthy of our attention, expertly filmed by one of my favorite directors, Ridley Scott, it is an account of a tragedy in Somalia, what should have been a 30 minute mission, turned into an 18 hour battle. A mixed assault force of Delta Force operators, Army Rangers, and Navy SEALs (under the command of Gen. William Garrison and Col. Lee Van Arsdale were dropped by helicopters of the US Army's Special Operations Air Regiment (SOAR) deep into the capital city of Mogadishu to capture two senior lieutenants of Somali warlord Aidid, Osman Ali Atto and Abdi Hasan Awale Qeybdiid. The raid by the Delta operators was successful and the wanted persons were captured and taken into American custody. Things turned nasty however, when Somali militia armed with RPGs downed two Black Hawk helicopters.

4. Full Metal Jacket

Of course this movie is a Kubrick and how can you go wrong with a Kubrick? Throw in Sergeant R. Lee Ermey as Gunny Hartman and ‘nuf said..

"Hey, you got girlfriend Vietnam? Me so horny. Me love you long time."

3. Platoon

This is another of the Oliver Stone Vietnam films this one being told from the point of view of the (grunt) soldier in country during Vietnam. I'm not going to include "Born on The 4th of July" (which is the second film in the trilogy) because frankly, I just didn't dig it all that much.

I remember when it (Platoon) was first released, reading and hearing news of the veterans' reactions to it. Strong men, leaving theaters in tears.

"I believed in our country, believed in the ideals, believed the communists were undermining us everywhere" Oliver Stone, Director of "Platoon".

2. Saving Private Ryan

I saw this movie 14 times in the theater. I loved the opening scene on Normandy Beach, Dog Green Sector. Let me mention the book "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw, if you haven't read it, do so.

They're all dying, we're losing them. Watch this film and then by God go hug or at the very least, salute a Veteran.

1. Apocalypse Now

Ok, I'm not even going to try to list all of the reasons why this is my number one pick. Based on Heart of Darkness, it really is that journey. The legends and myths that surround it's filming, I mean, I could go on forever.

Let me just say "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning".

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