padraig (u.s.)
a monkey that will go ape
which ones do you like? which don't you like? why? what do you like & dislike about them? what makes a war movie "good"? war movies or movies that are about War (i.e., Apocalypse Now etc.)? exploitation or art or (more likely) both? Is it even possible to make a war movie that isn't exploitative, both of the combatants & of the non-combatants stuck in the middle? in fact, is it possible to make a war movie of social worth, whatever that is?
I realize a lot of those are questions w/no real answers.
prompted largely by my recent viewing of The Hurt Locker. a few of my thoughts on which here if you care to read them.
a few from my list (not including the really obv stuff):
Go Tell the Spartans
Thin Red Line
The Battle of Algiers
Jarhead
both Gettysburg & Glory
Das Boot
both The Great Escape & The Dirty Dozen
Beaufort
on the list but haven't seen yet - Generation Kill, Rescue Dawn, Zulu Dawn, Gallipoli, Waltz w/Bashir, The Killing Fields, Breaker Morant, Cross of Iron
not on my list - every John Wayne war movie esp. Green Berets, tons of garbage post-Platoon 80s cashin Vietnam flicks, post-Saving Private Ryan cashins (i.e. Pearl Harbor), all the Rambos, all Chuck Norris vehicles, Navy SEALs, etc etc
thoughts? recommendations (guess this one depends on what you define as a "war movie")?
I realize a lot of those are questions w/no real answers.
prompted largely by my recent viewing of The Hurt Locker. a few of my thoughts on which here if you care to read them.
a few from my list (not including the really obv stuff):
Go Tell the Spartans
Thin Red Line
The Battle of Algiers
Jarhead
both Gettysburg & Glory
Das Boot
both The Great Escape & The Dirty Dozen
Beaufort
on the list but haven't seen yet - Generation Kill, Rescue Dawn, Zulu Dawn, Gallipoli, Waltz w/Bashir, The Killing Fields, Breaker Morant, Cross of Iron
not on my list - every John Wayne war movie esp. Green Berets, tons of garbage post-Platoon 80s cashin Vietnam flicks, post-Saving Private Ryan cashins (i.e. Pearl Harbor), all the Rambos, all Chuck Norris vehicles, Navy SEALs, etc etc
thoughts? recommendations (guess this one depends on what you define as a "war movie")?